The Story of Aang's Parents
by OftheWind
Summary: Zuko digs through Fire Lord Sozin's diary to discover something startling, which catches the Gaang's interest, especially Aang's. This is a story about the Air Nomads before Sozins' comet. Pairings: Kataang & Maiko fluff. Mature relationships between OCs.
1. Chapter 1: The Diaries

_A/U [authors notes] : I don't OWN ANYTHING!_

_Fair warnings about this story…_

_1. There is very mature content. If you can't handle sexually explicit scenes, turn away now. [I give no other warning other than this one.]  
_

_*Looks around* Are they gone yet?_

_2. Okay…now…MAJOR and A LOT of character deaths. I mean come on, it's a story about Air Nomads…what would you expect? _

_If you don't want to read a tragedy, I suggest once more you go somewhere else._

_3. VIOLENCE in this story. Quite a lot of it too._

_4. Pairings! Mostly OC's. Slight Kataang and Maiko fluff.  
_

_*Peeks around*_

_Okay, those that are still here, enjoy. I present to you the story of Aang's parents…_

Quick note:  
_If you see this: * , it simply means to represent time. It can mean a timeskip or that something is happening elsewhere at the same time. Mostly, it is safe to assume that it's a small timeskip gesture. If you see 3 *** it means the story switched from centuries past to the present time with the Gaang. Though once I post the other chapters it should start to flow in an obvious pattern.  
_

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Fire Lord Zuko was reading more of the old scrolls in his study. His great-grandfather Sozin's diary was intriguing to read, as he discovered his own origins when his uncle sent him to the underground library. He was a descendant of Avatar Roku on his mother's side. It clearly showed in him being able to bring peace into the world a month ago helping Avatar Aang and his friends. He would never forget that battle with Azula and how she gave him the scar on his chest. As the Fire Lord, his very first order was to bring all troops home.

Reading through more files in what seemed to be a 'Fire Lord Sozin documentary' section of the library, a slip of folded paper fell out between two scrolls, "First Invasion…" He grew curious, peering inside and seeing sketches of Air Nomads, their gliders and detailed descriptions on how the gliders worked.

He thought of Aang and how he would like to see something like this. Something about his people. He owed it to him, being the very last of his kind.

He studied the date at the top, "This was before he wiped them out a hundred years ago." So he studied them closely first. He went on to read notes on the back of the paper, "The first monk to defy me directly." He had to do the math in his head. Aang was 112 years old, "So Sozin attacked the air temples in raids multiple times first, and must have kept losing. Otherwise…he wouldn't have needed so much detail on his enemies." He thought for a while, "The first monk to defy me directly…" He looked at the date and then a light bulb went off in his mind, "This is dated before Aang was born. Might be the same year."

Shifting through the papers and notes, he looked for a name of this Air Nomad, but couldn't find one. He studied the drawing carefully, "It looks like Aang…almost exactly. Well…what Aang should look like in a couple of years."

Mai entered the study, arms crossed, "Zuko you've been in here all day for kicks. Why don't you come out with me?"

Zuko looked to his wife, "I will in a moment. I found something interesting."

"It's all in the past."

"Yeah, but I think I found something the Avatar should know."

Mai sighed, "Fine. I'll write a letter for you and send it on a messenger hawk." She went to grab the utensils, "By the way, the resistance was finally caught."

Zuko quirked a brow, "The Phoenix King resistance group? Where?"

Mai nodded, "Right at our front door."

The Phoenix King Resistance group, a group of firebenders who didn't like an era of peace and were stubborn enough to still want the rule Fire Lord Ozai had run.

He turned away and patiently waited for Mai to come back with a scroll, ink, and brush; watching as she came back with it and sat next to him, "Dear Aang, I found information in my library that I want you to know about. Please come to the royal palace immediately; you will be welcomed as a noble guest. Sincerely Zuko." He looked through the notes in his hands about the Air Nomads.

Mai rose after setting the ink brush down. Whistling, servants came in and bowed to her, "I want you to get a messenger hawk and deliver this message to the Avatar immediately." She smiled as a servant took the scroll and went off with it. "I totally love being royalty."

Zuko stood up, gathering the scrolls and sheets with information on Air Nomads, keeping the folded paper at the very top.

*

"Your tea is great Mister Iroh sir!"

"Please, just Iroh is fine with me. As I'd rather call you by your name instead of Avatar all the time."

Aang nodded, placing his piece down, "Okay. Your move."

Iroh chuckled, "Who ever thought that I would own my own tea shop in Ba Sing Sei and sit in it drinking jasmine tea and playing Pai Sho with you. You play Pai Sho like a champion by the way."

Aang smiled, "Thanks. I haven't played a Pai Sho in a really long time."

Iroh smiled, "I'm glad you think Pai Sho is fun. Young people are usually bored of this game. They call it an old man's boardgame."

Aang sighed, "I used to play it all the time with my Master. Back then I got bored of it because we played it so much."

Sokka entered the tea shop with a basket of tea leaves yawning, "I got em for ya." He set the basket down.

Aang laughed, "Sokka you should play Pai Sho too."

"No way! That's an old man's boardgame! I'd rather get some sleep."

"But Sokka it's all about strategy! And who knows that better than you do?"

Sokka grinned widely, "Weeeeeell I guess I could sit down for a game as soon as yours ends." He dug in his pocket, flipping out the White Lotus piece given to him by Piandao.

Iroh sipped more of his tea, "Perhaps I should have a Pai Sho tournament. You boys could put up the fliers for me all over the city once I get them made."

"Katara knows a good place to get printings done." Aang watched as Iroh finished his turn.

Sokka yawned, "Speaking of which, here she comes with Toph."

Katara panted after rushing into the Jasmine Dragon, Toph following behind her with a messenger hawk on her shoulder.

Sokka smiled, "HAWKEE!?"

Katara blinked, "Um no Sokka. Hawkee doesn't wear little birdie palace robes. It's a message from Zuko."

Everyone perked up, Toph listening in.

"Dear Aang, I found information in my library that I want you to know about. Please come to my royal palace immediately; you will be welcomed as a noble guest. Sincerely Fire Lord Zuko." Katara blinked, "That's all it says."

Iroh nodded, "I'm not sure what my nephew could have found out, but it must be important seeing as he sent the fastest hawk he could get."

Toph smirked, "Oh geeze. He forgot to invite the rest of us. Just Aang gets to go?"

"No fair!" Sokka whined.

Aang stood up and bowed, "Sorry Iroh, we'll have to finish our game later." He finished his tea and set the cup down, "I know Zuko means for all of us to come."

Iroh nodded, "The pleasure was mine to play with you. I have more customers coming in anyway who want to see me. I might get an interview or portrait." He winked, "I did help save Ba Sing Sei from my own nation last month."

Aang smiled and turned around, "Alright guys. We're heading to the Fire Nation."

Toph added, "And we won't be attacked either!"

Sokka nodded, turning towards the door and sprinting, "Last one to Appa is a rotten egg!"

Katara, Aang, and Toph all ran out after him, Momo flying overhead.

Iroh got up from the Pai Sho game looking after them and simply smiling.

*

"So what do you think it is that Zuko found out about in the palace library?" Katara looked to Aang questioningly.

"I don't know. I don't think there's anything else about the war that I'd want to know about."

"Well Twinkletoes, if Zuko says it's important to you specifically, then I'd bet it was. Otherwise he wouldn't have sent his own Hawkee."

Sokka sighed, "I miss my Hawkee. Gran-Gran's been pilfering and using him up! He needs to come home. I even miss Hawkee fighting with Momo and me having to break them up."

Everyone laughed, thinking about it.

Appa roared pleasantly.

"We'll get to the Fire Nation in a couple of hours. Appa's feeling really good today."

Sokka cheered sarcastically, "Well good for Appa!"

*

Zuko slipped into the robe his servants held up for him, watching as they were fastened. He felt as if what he had to tell Aang was something he needed to know. Considering he wanted to know where his own mother was to restore her to the kingdom and her rightful glory and to let her know how much he loved her. He hadn't found her yet, but he knew that he would. She wasn't at the place his father said she went after her banishment.

Even so, there was no way Aang could do the same with his parents. He personally didn't know what monk life was like and never asked Aang about it. But he should at least put this to rest for the Avatar. If Sozin had notes on Aang's father before Aang was born, he believed that if his theory was right, Aang shouldn't even know who his father was at all. Not even what he looked like since he'd have died before Aang was born. Depending on if Aang lived with his mother and if she told him anything.

"My Lord! Your guests have arrived."

"Fetch some hay for their flying bison."

"Yes My Lord." The servants retreated.

He turned, exiting his room fully dressed in the traditional Fire Lord robes and gear. Making way to his throne room, where he'd talk with the group with Mai by his side.

Mai was already on the throne next to that of the Fire Lord, legs crossed, giving orders for snacks for everyone to munch on while they talked.

Zuko smiled at his wife, coming up to her and kissing her before taking his seat on the throne.

The main doors opened.

"So…liking the fancy life your highness?"

Zuko smirked at Sokka's sarcasm, though straightened up when Aang, Katara, and Toph came in afterwards with Momo on Katara's shoulder, "I'm glad you guys came."

Mai reclined in her royal seat, "I asked the servants to get everyone some snacks just in case you came in hungry."

"Oooh! I like snacks!"

"Sokka!"

"But Katara, free food!"

"We get free food everywhere we go Sokka. People know who we are."

"But it's free _royal palace_ food!"

Aang chuckled, "Anyway, you called us here because you had something to tell me?"

Zuko nodded, rising from his throne, "Yeah. I found a lot of scrolls in my library about your people. But one caught my interest and I think it will catch yours." A servant handed him the folded paper, and he held it before his guests as he walked towards them.

Katara took the paper since she was the closest and blinked, looking at Aang, "I don't believe it!"

Everyone except Toph gathered around the paper.

Aang blinked, "It's an airbender. A Monk from the Southern Air Temple."

Sokka rubbed his chin, "I knew that Sozin would have to gather a ton of information on the Air Nomads before the comet came."

Zuko nodded, "Read the date and every note on that paper."

Sokka looked at the date, "Holy hippocow! How is this paper still even in existence!?"

"We have ways of preserving every bit of data we get, including things written 124 years ago."

Katara gasped, "Aang…the man in this drawing looks exactly like you!"

Sokka took the paper and held it up next to Aang from a distance, analyzing back and forth, "Yeah, you're right."

Zuko nodded, "Aang I think this is your father."

Sokka counted, "Aang is 112. The date on here should be the same year Aang was born."

Aang widened his eyes, "The date on this paper…is the day I was born…"

Everyone looked at Aang, "Are you serious!?"

Aang backed away from everyone, sitting on the floor, "I never knew my parents. All I had was Monk Gyatso.."

Zuko sighed, "There's more. Here's another paper of the same man dated 3 years after the first picture. But there's something fishy about the notes on this one. It says that the man from the first drawing came back from the dead."

Aang looked to the floor dejectedly, "Zuko, what section did you find these in? What part of your great-grandfather's life?"

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment, "The battles. His invasions of the Air Nomads before the comet came."

Katara looked at both drawings, "Maybe the first time he was healed somehow? I mean things we can't explain happen all the time, but Aang's father coming back from the dead to fight Sozin twice?"

Zuko nodded, "There's a major gap and I don't think we'd be able to fill it here. Sozin was astounded, shocked, and bewildered that Aang's father came 3 years later for a re-match even stronger than the first time. He couldn't believe how he fought in a completely different way and was evenly matched with him, like he was a completely different person. He was pretty sure and head on that he killed him the first time."

Toph wondered aloud, "How do you know all that?"

"Because I have my great-grandfather's diary in the library too."

Sokka shouted, "DIBS!"

The servants came out with the snacks.

Mai came down from her seat, "I'm bored, so I'll make the suggestion that my husband was going to. We think you guys can find out more in the Southern Air temple ruins than here. Reading the diary here won't do much good. There isn't even a name of the guy Sozin fought against. Just going on about how powerful he was for an airbender and how shocked he was to see him again. He defeated the airbender by attacking someone else to distract him and catch him off guard."

Katara nodded, "Aang I think we should check it out. We can find out about your parents!"

Aang dropped his head lower, "My father was this all powerful airbender who could have beaten Sozin over a hundred years ago had he not gotten distracted? I get that, but to me, my father is the monk who raised me. No one can replace Monk Gyatso."

Katara touched his shoulder, "Aang, just give it a chance. There's an explanation already. Sozin caught your father off guard. So maybe he was around to raise you until he fought Sozin. Maybe he wanted Monk Gyatso to take care of you and entrusted you to him. And maybe Sozin attacked your mother as the distraction."

Aang sighed, trying to take it in and then finally stood up, looking Katara in the eye, "Okay. We'll see what we can find at the Southern Air temple." He looked over to Zuko, "Thank you. I would have never really known why I never knew my parents if you didn't find these scrolls."

Toph reached for the servants' platter of snacks, "Alright. So we know your dad was an awesome guy. But seriously can this guy hold the snack plates any higher?"

Mai chuckled, "Leave the snacks here. You are dismissed."

The servants walked away, leaving the trays on a stand before them.

Toph snickered, "You must really like being royalty huh?"

Mai shrugged, "It has its perks."

Aang turned around, "We should pack the snacks. We're going to the Southern Air temple."

"ALRIGHT!" Sokka rolled up the scrolls and placed them in his shirt, dashing over to the snacks to wrap them up.

Mai sighed, "I'll stay here. These people wouldn't know what to do if there wasn't a single royal person here to boss them around. You go on ahead Zuko."

Zuko nodded, stepping up to wrap his arms around Mai and sweep her into a passionate kiss, whispering once they parted lips, "I'll be back soon."

"My feet so didn't need to see that." Toph bit into a melon and followed Aang, Katara, and Sokka as they were walking out.

*

Aang patted Appa, "We're going home to find some things out buddy."

Flying over the clouds, Sokka looked out and around through his telescope. Digging into his snack pouch and munching on sweets.

Zuko watched his mouth closely, then turning and grimacing, "Need to eat with your mouth open?"

Katara scooted over towards Aang, leaning over the saddle to peer at him, "Are you okay Aang?"

"I'm okay Katara."

She sighed, "It's just that you don't seem okay. I know this is really sudden and unexpected."

"It's just that it's hard to see anyone else as my parent other than who I've seen and always been with since I was little."

"It doesn't mean that your real parents didn't love you."

"I know what she looks like Katara."

"Your mother? How?"

"Avatar Roku gave me a lot of visions this year and I couldn't have done a lot without his help. When I learned about his life, the beginning of the war, and the Avatar cycle, I saw myself born. I saw the woman who gave birth to me. She looked really happy but exhausted."

"Then you can find out even more about her. And find out why you never got to know her. Aang I have the feeling that something happened to her."

"That's how it is. Something always happens to someone. Especially my people! They're just not here for anything else to happen to them ever again. "

"I know you don't mean that Aang."

He sighed, "You're right Katara. It's just that…it's just…"

"Aang. You've faced the unknown so many times I can't even count them anymore." She smiled gently, "I know you can do this."

He blushed at her hand on his cheek suddenly, turning around and rising himself towards her. Leaning his forehead against hers to give her a gentle kiss. Feeling her return it, he was glad beyond anything else. They'd been together since the day after he defeated Fire Lord Ozai and they were inseparable since.

Katara pulled away first whispering, "If your parents were anything like this, I'd say you already had it in you." She winked.

Sokka appeared before them crossing his arms, "Hey love birds! We're there! So stop smooching and land Appa already!"

Aang snickered, "He already knows where to go. Don't you buddy?"

Appa gave a short lasting roar of approval.

*

Getting off of Appa, the group ventured into the ruins of the Southern Air Temple, Toph in awe.

"There's so much here." Toph stepped around a carcass, "I mean…bodies from both sides; ruins for real all over. Aang you lived here when it had…people?"

"Yeah, this was my home. Me, Appa, and Momo's."

Zuko looked around, "Aang, where would there be a library? Any kind of documentations?" The last time he'd been here had been early on in his quest searching for the Avatar. His memory blurred as to any other detail about the premesis.

Sokka piped up, "CAN WE SEE YOUR OLD HOUSE!?" He quieted when Katara and Zuko turned to glare back at him, "What? We didn't see it last time we were here."

Aang thought back, "I had a room in the main temple. That's where I know of that I was raised anyway. Oh and a library…follow me everyone." He set off in a certain direction towards the main temple structure, "We had one that's a lot like the library in the Fire Nation. I just hope that it's still intact."

Rushing through the old halls, they followed Aang while looking around, Toph stopping, "Wait guys!"

They stopped and looked back.

"There's a big hollow area with a lot of shelves this way." She pointed in another direction, "I think there was more than one library, right Aang?"

He thought, "Yeah, we had a couple now that I remember."

Sokka boasted, "Shelves must mean still intact. Maybe we should split up and meet back here. Katara, Momo, you guys are with Aang. Toph, Zuko, you guys go to the other library."

"What about you Sokka?" Katara blinked.

"Well Aang. Your teacher had to have a study room right? I'm gonna go look and see what I can find from the study rooms of the monks."

Zuko shook his head, "How would you know that they had study rooms?"

"Aang told us a lot about his home just cause. A lot of it just stuck with me. Am I right Aang?"

"Yeah Zuko, he is. We'll meet up back here in three hours and we'll see what everyone finds. We're looking for anything that would have to do with Fire Nation attacks."

Katara giggled, "Maybe Momo should go with you for safe keeping Sokka."

He huffed at his sister and they all separated, "Momo c'mon least you get me."

*

"Aang…I'll bet this place was amazing when it was together huh?"

"Yeah it was. Looking through reminds me of…everything from my life before I found out I was the Avatar." Aang walked to a balcony, "Out there I used to play with the other kids. I remember they didn't want to play with me anymore after the monks announced I was the Avatar."

Katara followed, touching Aang's shoulder, "Think about the happier times. Now come on, we've gotta get to the library or Sokka's gonna throw a fit about it taking too long or not finding anything."

He smiled, "You're right." He took her hand, leading the way, "We actually had different libraries for different people living here. The head monks and nuns had separate libraries. But the nun libraries were more public to everyone else. And hardly anyone was allowed to see in a head monk's study. Except me of course but cause Monk Gyatso was a head monk here."

"Your teacher must have been a really great guy."

"I remember he had a really good cake recipe. But the cakes weren't for eating."

"Oh really? What were they for?"

"Airbending them onto people passing by." Aang laughed, "I got a lot of target practice that way."

Katara chuckled, "Good times huh?"

"I can remember people's faces. We'd have to practice the art of stealth afterwords so they didn't catch us. Good times."

"That's funny." She smiled, "Oh I see the library!" She rushed forwards, keeping Aang's hand in hers, "Now let's go find some clues about your parents."

Aang followed the girl he loved, wondering if anything really was left intact. The sight that beheld them was halfway expected.

Katara frowned, "I can't believe most of this library was burned up like this…" She'd stopped to analyze the damage, "I should have known. Darnit!"

Aang sighed, eying the scorched up library before hanging his head, spotting something out the corner of his eye, "Hold on Katara." He ran over to the object, picking up a scroll and opening it to read, "This is a letter from a monk named Jiao writing to his brother."

"What does it say?"

"Jigako, I'm writing this just to clear my head. There's something that I want to tell you but even when you get back from the Eastern Air Temple, I might not be able to. So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to see if your teacher, Monk Iagu, will get you to come home earlier."

"Well that was nice of him."

"It goes on to say: You aren't due back for five more days, but we just can't wait for you. We miss you too much. I hope that when you get back, you can forgive me when I tell you what I did, if I ever could bring myself to. Your brother, Jiao"

Katara thought, "Is there a date on that?"

"Yeah it's dated a year before I was born."

"We should take it back. It could be really important. Hey here's another scroll!" She picked it up and opened it, "This one is another letter. Monk Hata, you are needed at the Western Air temple right away. If you could please leave before the sun rises tomorrow, we will have escorts waiting for you in case you're attacked by firebenders again." She shook her head, "This has nothing to do with the first scroll but either way it seems important. It's dated quite a while before your birthday though."

"It's okay. Information is information. Do you see anything else?"

Katara looked around the ashes and blackness, trying to spot anything that could be covered in ash, though not seeing anything that wasn't broken and battered. She moved around the edges of the room, eying the floor for loose scrolls, "I don't see anything Aang."

No answer.

"Aang?" She turned around and spotted him holding a book, rushing over to him, "W-what is that? Where did you find that?"

"It's an entire diary. Covered in ashes but the pages are still intact." He rubbed the cover, "It's the diary of that guy from the letter. One of the brothers."

"Which one?"

"I think Jigako." He rubbed a page delicately, "There's no name in it, but I can tell." A paper slipped out and he caught it, unfolding it, "Yeah…this is Jigako's. This is a letter to his brother Jiao."

"We should definitely take that and see what else we can find."

Aang nodded, tucking the book under his left arm and scrounging through more piles of ash.

*

"So what did you guys find?" Sokka laid handfuls of scrolls and books on the floor.

"We found the diary of a monk named Jigako and some scrolls about invasions from the Fire Nation." Katara set scrolls down while Aang held closely onto the diary, sitting down with it.

Zuko nodded, "Toph and I found two diaries. One of them is really odd though."

Katara blinked, "Odd?"

Toph explained, "It was written by an earthbender _living_ here a long time ago. Um Aang did you happen to know of any when you lived here?"

"No." He shook his head, "None that weren't _in_ the earth kingdom."

Sokka thought aloud, "That doesn't make any sense. But what's the other diary?"

Zuko opened it up, "A woman's diary. A nun named Demoska."

Sokka nodded, "I found the diary of a guy named Jiao and a lot of things Aang's teacher wrote himself."

Aang piped up, "Hang on! You found Jiao's diary? Where? Jigako had a brother named Jiao. It's in his letters and diary."

"I found it in the study where I got all the papers from your teacher Aang."

Toph sat down, "So where do we begin? Which diary do you read first? Or do you look through the scrolls?"

Sokka thought, "I say the diaries. Which one's longest?"

"The earthbender's diary."

"Well I guess we'll find out why there was an earthbender living in the Southern Air Temple before Aang was born."

They sat around as Sokka took the diary and began to read from off the first page, "I was born different. I knew that from the very beginning. I never knew who my real parents were. And at first I couldn't understand why I was so different than the people at my home. I live in this grand Southern Air Temple but I feel so out of place despite having my best friend, friends, and adoptive family."

Zuko added, "So that's why there was an earthbender living here. That had to be awkward."

"Will you shush!?" Sokka waited for silence, "My mother told me when I was a child that she wasn't my real mother. But I refused to accept that reality. She was the one who raised me, even if she couldn't teach me my real elemental gift. No one could. My specialty was being able to manipulate earth. But everyone around me could do that with the air. I was the only one of my kind. I found out I could do this one day while having a temper tantrum about eating a weird tree looking vegetable."

Aang giggled, "Broccoli…"

"Ever since, I practiced and tested my limits to see what I could do. Even my name is different than that of any of the people here. It's Yai Ching.

My mother was a traveling monk. One day she found me abandoned with a name tag around my wrist. Taking me in, I was separated away from my native people of the Earth Kingdom. I wouldn't actually go there yet to find my roots. But I want to one day.

My best friend, Nun Demoska, and my friend Jiao always tell me they wanna go with me one day. The gesture is nice, but at least Jigako understands that I need to make my journey alone."

Katara piped, "So all these people knew each other. The brothers, Jigako and Jiao, this Nun Demoska, and the earthbender Yai Ching. They were all friends."

Toph smirked, "Now that's pretty cool."

Aang asked lowly, "But what does all this have to do with my parents?"

Zuko sighed, "We'll just have to read every diary and find out. Go ahead Sokka."

"That's it. That's the first entry." He turned the page, "Before I read the second entry, maybe someone else could read from another diary first."

Aang opened up Jigako's diary and read, "I know that writing in a book like this is usually a girl's thing to do, but I asked my friend Yai Ching about it and she said it works wonders for her mind. I want the kind of calmness she has, when she isn't being stubborn that is.

I'm writing in this because I think my friend is stalking me. Nun Demoska keeps following me around and trying to talk to me, but I keep turning away and going in another direction. Yai says that maybe she has a crush on me. I like her, but I'm way too shy to say or do anything. My brother Jiao would probably be better at that than I am.

Either way, I just wanted to express my confusion about her actions and think to myself about what to do. I should get her flowers or something to show that I really like her too. Yai should know her favorite flower." Aang turned the page, "That's the end of the first entry."

Zuko grabbed Jiao's diary, opening it up to the first page, "Yai is a copycat. She got the diary idea from me. But its okay, mine is better because I can write down all my clever schemes in here. I dumped some of the fountain water on a bunch of passerby today. Their faces were hysterical. I'm such a genius.

Hi diary. I'm Jiao, 10 years old and I'm gonna be the greatest airbender ever. I'm gonna beat Jigako at it. I don't care if he's older than me. I'm also gonna win the heart of the girl I like the most, the pretty talented girl Demoska. She may be 12 and older than me and Jigako, but it doesn't change how I feel about her."

Katara interrupted, "Surely the brothers can't mean the same girl?"

Zuko nodded, "I think they do. But I think they all started diaries at different times. I think this one is the oldest besides Yai's. What's the date in Jigako's on the first page?"

Aang read it.

Zuko nodded once more, "Just as I thought. Jiao's diary starts when he's 10. Jigako's diary starts when he's 11. I think Jiao and Jigako were either the same age, or a year or two apart. Clearly Jigako was older though."

Sokka added, "Yai Ching never says her age, but I think she's around the same age group. Jiao said she was a copy cat and the date confirms the same year these two diaries were started. Katara, can you start Demoska's diary for us?"

Katara cleared her throat, "I'm so excited to have a place to write down my thoughts now. My teacher said it would help me, and I plan to write in this every day. My name is Demoska and I am 13 years old. You, my safety thought book, are a gift from my teacher for being a prodigy."

Toph thought aloud, "So all these people tie in together. How do any of them tie in with Aang?"

Sokka flipped another page, "We're just gonna have to read and find out. But I know Jiao definitely has to do with Aang. His diary was in Monk Gyatso's personal stuff."

The group all looked around at each other and then to Aang.

"It's okay Twinkletoes. We'll get to the bottom of this."

"I'm not worried about that. I'm just curious about who these people are."

"Touché my good airbender." Sokka nodded, "alright, we'll read them in this order, Yai's, Demoska's , Jigako's, and then Jiao's."

Everyone nodded, Toph just listening in. And so they began putting the pieces together…

_______

A/U: I know you're tired of my extra comments already. Just a fair warning that after this point, the story goes right into OC's galore. I'll try to post each chapter in a scheduled manner. Probably a chapter every two days or so. The story is already completed, it's just me being non-lazy enough to post each part. I have to separate it and do a lot of editing on my part.

Oh and about this story, I actually got the idea from the first chapter of my other fic. I wrote that one first and really wanted to elaborate on the story of Aang's existance. In order to understand future events in this story better, I suggest you read chapter 1 of 'Avatar Plotholes'. It has spoilers for this story, yes, so you'll get a taste of what will happen. Other than that snippet, I'm not telling a thing. You'll have to read and wait to find out how it gets to that point and what happens after.

Okay I'm done rambling. Chao.


	2. Chapter 2: Four Friends

A/N: I only own the original characters in this story. So yes, I own a vast collection of Air Nomads. xDD Except Monk Gyatso. Yeaaah.

Recap: The Gaang go through the library ruins of the Southern Air Temple and find 4 diaries, sitting in a circle, they begin to read them one at a time hoping to find clues about Aang's real parents. One entry per person in the order of their circle, all putting the story together as they go along.

***

**_Many years ago…_**

"Mom…I want to just stay home and be with you! How come I have to meet other kids?"

Monk Kannin laughed, "Oh Yai, it's good for you to meet others. Wouldn't life be boring if you never met anyone else?"

"But mom I don't look like anybody, not even you."

"It's going to be alright Yai. You'll make friends, don't worry about it." She smiled at her adoptive daughter. If there was any child that was going to truly make friends in the Southern Air Temple, it was Yai Ching. The girl was truly of not just the Earth Kingdom, but of Omashu. Since she took in the abandoned baby, her life changed drastically for the better. The only drawback to adopting her was that Yai couldn't ever become a monk as she was. The monks were airbenders and despite earth and air being opposite elements, she relinquished in the challenge of teaching Yai movements she could use for her earthbending.

Yai pouted. It was her first day of school and her mother was brushing her hair and tidying her up before she went. She was going to become a nun. The good thing was that nuns got to travel as much as monks did. So she'd get to travel the world like she'd always wanted. Her mother told her stories of all the places she'd been and promised to take her the next time she was going to travel.

"Alright Yai. You're ready." Monk Kannin smiled widely, backing away and looking her daughter up and down. "You look so beautiful dressed in the traditional nun robes."

"But mom it's loose feeling!"

"It's supposed to be. Except around the waist. The fabric is extremely delicate, so that it helps with airbending." She chuckled, "And it _is _a dress after all."

"So does that mean that nuns can airbend too?"

"Some of them can. It's a choice sweetheart. Girls can choose to become monks or nuns or whatever they want to be whether they can bend or not. It just so happens that mostly those who can bend become monks and those who cannot bend become nuns or takes another role."

"But what about me?" Yai sniffled, "I'm different."

Monk Kannin reached to embrace her daughter and kissed her forehead, "You're very special Yai. Don't ever forget that. Now run along so that you're not late your first day."

Yai Ching nodded and turned to run out with scrolls and ink. The meeting place wasn't that far away. She thought the monastery a bit odd. People tended to fall in line even though everyone was free to make their own choice and do what they wanted. The girls mostly decided to become nuns. Not too many of them could bend at all. Possibly 3 of every 5 girl could while 4 of every 5 boy could airbend. So it was mostly boys who became monks. She knew that with her earthbending, there was no way she could be a monk like her mother was. The monks became Masters of airbending only.

Slowing down in her sprint, she sighed and closed her eyes. She steadied her breaths making it to the learning grounds. It seemed like there were a lot of girls already there. Some of them were looking at her oddly. She blushed, expecting that to happen. She looked nothing like the people here and had always known that since she was much smaller. Looked nothing like _any_ Air Nomad. But that was just fine with her, even if she went without making any friends…

"Hello there!"

Yai snapped from her day dream of her Omashu pride and glared at the girl who spoke to her. The girl was taller than her with bigger eyes and a very slim structure. She had long jet black hair and this beautiful, happy look to her. She couldn't explain the girl's eye color. They were this odd silver-gray color, like storm clouds of some sort. Moreso gray than anything else. She'd never seen someone with eyes like that before, "Hi."

"My name is Demoska. Nice to meet you." She held out her hand for a handshake.

Yai pouted and crossed her arms, "The name's Yai Ching."

"You're not from here are you Yai?"

"Tch. Course I am."

"But you aren't an Air Nomad."

"Look, I'm still from here girlie! My mom is a traveling monk."

Demoska giggled, "I think I know her. Isn't your mom Monk Kannin?"

"How could you know that?" Yai looked at her suspiciously.

"Your mom is kind of famous. Anyway, you seem like a freshman. And as an upperclassman, I want to show you around and everything."

Yai looked around at the other girls whispering and watching them, "Why would you want to do that? It doesn't seem like you'll be very popular."

Demoska smiled, "I don't really care about that with the other students. I'm friends with a lot of the teachers and monks. But it wouldn't hurt to finally make a fellow student friend." She lowered her hand, seeing as to how Yai didn't really like handshakes.

Yai quirked a brow, "So you want to be my friend?"

Demoska nodded, "Of course. I just got here myself and the other girls" she blushed, "Well they already started acting weird around me about the color of my eyes. I figure that we could stick together since we're both different."

Yai lightened up, looking into her eyes, "Well, everything's different about me. So having at least one friend wouldn't hurt much."

Demoska brightened up, "We'll be best friends Yai! I just know it!" She turned around, "Now follow me and I'll show you to your classes and everything! Oh!" She looked over her shoulder, "Do you need help carrying any of your scrolls?"

Yai blushed, "Um no thanks."

Demoska giggled, "This is awesome. I finally made a real friend with someone close to my own age." She smirked and spun around, walking backwards, "Yai, later on I'm gonna introduce you to my two other best friends."

Yai huffed, "I thought you said you didn't have any other friends here!"

She giggled again, "I don't. They're both boys who are training to become monks. I think they're both the same age as you. Plus I think you'll like them. They're different too."

"What is this!? A misfit club!?"

"Not exactly. They're my childhood friends. We used to play all the time. It just so happens that we're all very different from everyone else. Pure coincidence."

Yai stuck her tongue out at her elder nun trainee, "It still sounds like a misfit club."

"Say what you want. I swear you'll like them. I'll introduce you after class okay? They always come over here to see me during their break."

"Wow. You really don't care what other people think huh?"

Demoska shook her head, turning around and clapping her hands, "I only care of what my teachers think of me. I want to be a head nun some day. I'm well on my way because I'm a prodigy."

"I hear a 'but' in there somewhere." Yai snickered.

Demoska stopped walking, raising her left hand and holding her palm upwards. The wind picked up and a small ball of air formed.

"Demoska, you're an airbender!"

"Sssssh! Not many people know that about me."

"I don't get it. Why would you want to keep that a secret? Why would you even want to be a nun? You could be a monk. Get trained to be a Master."

"I just…don't want that kind of life. You know…to be a monk, you have to be bald or part bald. I really don't want to cut my hair." She released the air ball in a gust, then running her fingers through her long black hair. "I couldn't do without it."

Yai thought of how her own mother had short black hair though just towards the back of her head. For the most part, she was bald at the front of her head, "I see. Well I have a secret too."

Demoska looked with interest, "Oh?"

Yai stopped, inhaling deeply and taking a firm step forwards, a very small part of the ground raising.

Demoska widened her eyes shocked, "Yai! You're an earthbender!"

Yai reached forwards with her palm outwards, lowering it to lower the part of the ground that she lifted, "Yeah. I wanted to become a monk, but I don't think anyone will let me. My mom said she talked to people and they wouldn't because I'm not an airbender."

"You have to be the only earthbender living with Air Nomads that I've ever heard of." She clapped her hands again, "But how are you learning how to earthbend with no teacher?"

"My mom is Monk Kannin. The lady's been traveling the world since before I was born. She teaches me earthbending from her studying different styles as a hobby and making friends in the Earth Kingdom who can give her advice. She can never show me any examples, just the poses and such. I just take what she shows me and apply it, teaching myself."

"That's so cool Yai! I'm happy that it's not so difficult for you here. I mean earth and air are opposite elements. She has to be such a genius to be a Master Airbender teaching you earthbending. It's unheard of!"

"Not so loud Demoska! I stand out enough by looking different with my face and hair. I don't need the other girls knowing that I'm an earthbender too."

"At least you have brown eyes." She smiled innocently.

Yai started walking again, "Yeah yeah chickee." They laughed together for the first time out of many to come.

*

"I beat you again!"

"Awe Jiao! That's not fair!"

"Don't be angry. I beat you fair and square."

The boy pouted and got up, kicking over the Pai Sho board, "Whatever Jiao! Whatever!"

Jiao laughed and tried to imitate his master's voice, "Do not forget peace of mind young grasshopper." He snickered seeing the other boy walking off pretty pissed.

Jigako smiled a little, walking over to his brother, "You really need to stop bullying the other guys and play against the monks. You're too good."

Jiao rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah I know I should stop flaunting my skills. But not yet. Just a couple more flaunts and I swear I'm done." He stood up, "You ready?"

Jigako nodded.

"I wonder if Demoska found what she was looking for at the library."

Jigako shrugged a little, then reaching to straighten a wrinkle on his orange top.

The boys headed towards the girl's nun school. Taking their time and stopping when they saw Demoska waiting up the path with a shorter girl.

Demoska smiled widely, waving, "Boys! There's someone that I want you to meet!"

They walked over, Jiao looking to the girl closely.

Yai had to fight hard not to blush. Demoska didn't mention how cute the boys were, even if they were completely bald, "H-hi. I'm Yai Ching."

Jiao reached forward, putting his palm on her head, "One of us is Jiao and the other one is Jigako. Can you guess which one?"

Yai looked up as the brothers stood next to one another, looking with the same expression on their face. She pointed to Jigako, "He's Jiao isn't he?"

Jiao broke his expression and laughed, "So wrong! I'm Jiao and this is my older brother Jigako."

Jigako gave a little wave.

Yai had to rub her eyes, "What the heck!? You guys look exactly the same! How was I supposed to know? How much older are you Jigako!?"

He raised two fingers, "Two seconds older than Jiao."

Demoska giggled, "See what I was talking about Yai? I have a weird eye color while Jiao and Jigako are identical twins."

Jiao smirked, "Except we act different. We're both 10. Not sure if she told you but Demoska here is 12. How old are you Yai?"

"10, just like you guys." She crossed her arms.

"Sweet. So besides the hair and looks, what's so different about you?"

Yai giggled, "So this is a misfit club! I so called it!"

Jigako quirked a brow.

Jiao laughed, "Misfit club!? Girlie for that remark, you're so in. So anyway, what's different about you?"

Demoska nudged Yai, "It's okay. You can tell them. They're trustworthy."

Yai blushed a little, "Well I'm not from here. My mom found me in an Earth Kingdom city called Omashu. That and I'm an earthbender."

The brothers both quirked a brow and looked at each other. Jigako finally speaking again, "That's rare."

Jiao nodded, "Hey can you show us some cool moves!? And train with us?"

Yai's blush deepened a little, "Uh sure…yeah anytime."

"Yes! I can finally test my skills against another element!"

Yai looked away from Jiao, trying desperately to hide her blush.

Demoska smiled, "I told you, you'd get along just fine. Now who's ready for lunch?"

*

"How was your first day at school Yai?"

"I made three friends mom. Two boys training to be monks and a nice older girl."

"Well that's interesting. See now Yai, I told you you'd make friends on your first day of school."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah yeah I know. But anyway, they wanna hang out later today. Is it okay?"

"It's fine. What are their names? I'd want to meet their parents."

"Well the girl is Demoska and the boys are Jiao and Jigako." She blushed as she thought of Jiao. _He's so cute and he looks smart and funny. I know Jigako is his twin but he looks so serious and quiet._ She blushed more. _I like Jiao better._ She thought of how he patted her head when they first met earlier and of how it was so easy to talk to everyone during lunch.

Monk Kannin quirked a brow, "Interesting friends you've made my dear."

"Why do you say that mom?"

Monk Kannin smiled widely, "They're all prodigy children. A lot of people know about them. Demoska is 12 and started studying under the head nun who is in charge of all four of our people's temples. She just started but I'm sure she's doing fine. And I know of the twins Jigako and Jiao. They're very great in airbending for their age and are training under Master airbenders that I have tea with often. Elder Monk Igau and Elder Monk Eiji."

Yai nodded, "I know." She sighed, "Demoska said we were gonna be best friends from here on out."

Monk Kannin nodded, "I'm glad you made good friends in them. You all have something in common. I believe that is why the universe brought you all together as friends today."

"What's that mom?"

"You're all very different from everyone else and special."

Yai threw her arms up dramatically, "I knew it! I knew it! We're a misfit club!" She giggled, "But it's all cool though."

Monk Kannin smiled, "Now run along and I'll start dinner."

Yai got up from the table and headed towards the door.

"A moment Yai. There's something I want to let you know."

She stopped, "What is it mom?"

"I should have let you attend school earlier like all the other kids instead of home schooling you. Perhaps you'd have been friends with them sooner."

Yai shook her head, "Oh mom. You can't ever regret that. I learned a lot about the world from you and there's a chance I wouldn't have ever met them. You taught me that everything happens for a reason."

As a mother, Kannin felt a rush of relief, joy, and pride as she listened to her daughter exit the house to go hang out with her new friends.

*

Jiao looked, "Hey Yai, can you tell me another story about a place your mom went?"

Demoska nodded, "They're all so wonderful. I'd only be able to travel to other Air temples in due time. But not to travel the world freely!"

Jigako nodded.

Yai thought, "Hmm. There was the time she went to the Fire Nation. She knows a lot of their dances and showed me a few."

Jiao smiled widely, "Ooh ooh! Tell me! I want to travel the world someday like your mom. When I become a monk, I'm gonna make tons of friends all over the globe in the other nations." He nudged Jigako, "I think o' lamo here wants to stay put and travel just to the other air temples like Demoska."

Demoska pouted, "There's nothing lame about it! I study the heritage and culture of our people very closely. Besides, the other Air Temples are beautiful!"

Jigako nodded.

Jiao sighed, "You're with me right Yai?"

Yai smiled and nodded, "Heck yeah! I want to travel the world and get to see all the things my mom got to see! Like when she went to the Fire Nation, she said they have these birds called hawks! They're big and brown and sometimes they have grey and white stripes on them. It's crazy!"

Jiao blinked, "Whoa! Is it as big as a sky bison?"

"Not exactly. They're a lot smaller. But I think they can fly as fast as one."

Jigako smiled a little, "Speaking of sky bison, I have to check on Gnaa."

Yai quirked a brow, "I've never been close to a young sky bison. Can I come with?"

Jiao pipped up, "Sure and you can see mine too!"

Demoska stood up, "I don't have one but Jiao's bison isn't the friendliest of the lot around other people." She sweatdropped.

Jiao laughed, "Demoska all she did was give you a new hairstyle airbending style."

She huffed, "And she slobbered all over my dress!"

Yai was excited, following everyone to the main temple balcony where the sky bison met the people. Two bison flew down to them immediately, "This is so cool! My mom has one and she's incredibly old, but friendly nonetheless." She reached for Jiao's and smiled when it allowed her to pet along its nose.

Jigako held an apple to Gnaa, "I knew you'd be hungry good friend." He smiled watching the bison eat.

Jiao hugged into the white fur, "Her name is Rin."

Yai nodded, petting the bison more "Nice to meet you Rin." She giggled when Rin gave an odd sounding roar and licked the side of her face. Coated in saliva she laughed hysterically.

Demoska shook her head and giggled, "You're such a tomboy Yai. I like Gnaa because he won't slobber all over me." She walked up to the male bison, reaching to pet him. "You're such a good calm boy aren't you Gnaa?"

Yai wondered aloud, "Why don't you have one Demoska?"

Demoska sighed, "I guess I just wasn't meant to have one as a companion. None of them approached me." She smiled, "But its okay. They didn't approach my master either."

Jigako looked to Demoska sheepishly and wondered to himself.

Later that night, as Yai was slipping into bed, a figure appeared by her opened window, climbing in. She sat up and immediately recognized the silhouette of one of the twins, "Jiao?"

"Ssssh. Yeah it's me."

"What are you doing here this late at night Jiao?"

"I just wanna talk to you about something. You're the only person I can talk to."

She sighed, "Okay what's up?"

"Listen…I…kinda…really like Demoska and I want to get her to like me too."

Yai's heart sunk, and she was glad he couldn't see her disappointment in the dark, "Okay…"

"Well, since you two are best friends and all do you think you can talk to her for me?"

It'd been weeks since Demoska introduced her and they all were friends. She got to know Demoska very well in such a short amount of time and vice versa. But she had yet to tell anyone about her crush on Jiao. And here he was, telling her he had a crush on her best friend, "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know…anything! I can't have Jigako do it. And I can't tell her myself!"

"Why not?"

"Just because!"

"Are you scared that she's not gonna like you?"

"Terrified that she's not gonna like me! She wouldn't even look at me or Rin today!"

Though her young heart was broken, she nodded, "I'll see what I can do."

*

Demoska asked Yai aside after they parted from their separate classes, "Yai can I talk to you for a minute?"

She fought the temptation to roll her eyes, either way she nodded and followed Demoska outside, "What is it? You look kind of upset."

"I'm not upset. It's just that I really like this guy and I don't know how to tell him."

"Write him a love letter or something."

Demoska brightened up and clapped her hands, "Yai you're a genius! I'll slip it in his belongings!"

"Who is the guy anyway?" Yai grumbled, "Jiao?"

Demoska blinked, "Heavens no! That boy is immature, rude, and you've seen all the pranks he pulls all the time on kids and adults. I wouldn't like him in a million years!"

Yai felt terrible now, just hearing the previous night about how Jiao wanted to pour his heart out to her best friend and she didn't even like him enough to look at him except when she was talking to him directly about something, "I see."

Demoska smiled widely, "Anyway thank you so much!" She leaned forward and kissed Yai's cheek, "Come to my house for dinner. It's the least I can do to repay you! I'll tell you who I like then!" She turned away trotting off, "Oh I hope he likes the love letter that I write!"

____________________________________________

A/N: The introduction to my main characters. Just so people can remember something for later chapters

-- Zuko is reading Jiao's diary

-- Katara is reading Demoska's diary

-- Sokka is reading Yai's diary

--Aang is reading Jigako's diary

Toph is just sitting there listening to each entry as they're read. xD Since she can't read or write due to her blindness.

2 of these individuals out of Jigako, Jiao, Yai, and Demoska are in fact Aang's parents. [The obvious] =) I wonder _who _people think it will be. Kukuku.


	3. Chapter 3: The Preface of War

*

"Hey dude, what's this in with your scrolls?" Jiao pulled a white piece of paper out from Jigako's belongings.

Jigako shrugged and slipped his boots on.

Jiao opened the letter and silently read, "Oh dude! You got a love letter!"

All the other boys looked over and went over to see the letter. Another boy, Haruna, took the note and read it aloud, feigning a feminine voice, "Dearest Jigako, How I've always had eyes for you. Every time I see you, my heart jumps with joy and passion." He snickered, "I always want to speak up and tell you how I feel, so I hope this letter suffices!"

Jigako took the note out the boy's hands, and read it to himself, his cheeks turning bright red.

Jiao laughed, "Who's it from?"

Jigako shrugged, "No one signed it." _Though the handwriting is very familiar._ He turned away and ignored all the boys and even Jiao's musical taunt of how he had a girlfriend, reading the letter over three times. He blushed more. He never thought about girls like that, but he did want to meet this girl. She sounded so sincere, he was sure that he would like her too. Walking away from everyone else, he went to think.

*

Yai almost spit out her drink, "WHAT!?"

Demoska nodded and blushed more, "I really like Jigako. Oh please don't tell! Don't tell him! I'll tell him myself soon enough."

"What about Jiao?"

"What about him? If you tell Jiao everyone's gonna know! He has a big blabbermouth! Don't tell him either!"

Yai forgot she didn't talk to Demoska about Jiao liking her. But either way, she didn't see the point now since she didn't like him anyway. Yai, herself still liked Jiao. So if Demoska and Jigako got together, then perhaps she had a chance with Jiao. She wasn't going to give up this chance for the world.

"I want to tell Jigako before I turn 13, which is in a few days. I will not get older and not have the boy I like a lot not know!"

"You should give him a bit of time to absorb the note you wrote. You didn't sign your name on it did you?"

"No I didn't."

"Good. Tell him tomorrow. You're right. He should know as soon as possible. Just…when did you start liking him?"

Demoska smiled, "I've always liked him. Jigako, Jiao and I all grew up together. And I've been closer to Jigako than I have to anyone. I started thinking about how I felt about him recently and I thought that I should go for it."

Yai thought of Jiao and then smiled at her friend, "I really think you should go for it." There was a slight pang in her gut as to how Jiao would feel, but she wanted to be the one to comfort him and be his girl.

Demoska nodded, "Thanks Yai. You're such a good friend!"

_To you but not to Jiao…tell her about Jiao._

_But…I want Jiao all to myself. What if she changes her mind and loves Jiao instead?_

_What if she doesn't? She said she wouldn't like him in a million years…wait…did you just think love?_

*

Jigako was walking, reading the letter in his hands for the umpteenth time that day, trying to figure out just who it was that could have written it. The first people he thought about were his closest female friends, Demoska and Yai. But a certain line in the note threw off that possibility.

_I'd been watching you from a distance._

As Jiao exclaimed, it sounded stalkerish. But to him it sounded sweet. He knew that he wasn't like other boys. He was never the macho kind. He was quiet and loved peace and calmness. He loved to sit back and watch life happen all around him especially when it was with the people he loved. Though to any other boy at 10, such as Jiao in his opinion, love was mushy and got in the way of playing. In his own opinion, love was like his teacher said it was: the best thing that could ever happen to a person, especially when it was pure.

He was told often he didn't have the mind of a child, but the wisdom of an elder monk. And he knew that even now, they were training him and wanted him to become one of Elders someday. He knew it was a very high honor for a monk to become an elder.

Though there was something that no monk, nun, or even the girl who liked him so much could part him from…

Air gliding and air surfing.

It was something he and Jiao shared in likes to the fullest. They would go out on their gliders and in the sky, he would part his arms and smile as he regained balance on his glider. He just felt so…free.

He hoped that one day he could take the girl who liked him air surfing. He would like to share that with a girl he loved.

To him, the letter was…true love.

He stopped when he knew that someone was approaching. Most likely they would want to talk to him.

"Hey Jigako."

"Hey Demoska."

She clasped her hands together, seeing the letter in his hands, "So um, what's that you got?"

He smiled, "I got a love letter. I don't know who it's from, but I would like to know."

_This is my chance_, "Actually, I think I…"

"HEY JIGAKO! DEMOSKA!"

Demoska inwardly rolled her eyes at being interrupted during her shining moment with Jigako, turning to see Jiao running up to them, "What is it?"

Jiao stopped short, hearing something in her tone that told him not to come any closer, "There's something going on and a lot of people are gathering. I wanted to know if you guys wanted to come."

Demoska huffed, "Well actually…"

Jigako folded the letter and put it in his shirt, "Sure."

Demoska inwardly sighed. _Boys will be boys. I guess even Jigako can't deny natural curiosity._ "Okay."

They followed Jiao, Yai catching up with them and asking where they were headed.

Jiao whispered, "I heard the Avatar came back here. I want to see him."

Yai whispered, "Isn't he from the Fire Nation?"

Jiao nodded, "Yeah. I wanna see what he looks like."

Jigako nodded, taking Demoska's hand and gently pulling her along.

Demoska blushed while no one was looking, looking at Jigako from the view she had being so close. Lost in a daydream to even know when they stopped, "Uh what's…?"

"SSSHHH! They're right down there." Jiao hissed.

Demoska huffed again, but leaned against the balcony to listen to the conversation between the Avatar and the Elder Monks.

Avatar Roku bowed humbly, "It is my honor to meet with you all in your beautiful home. I have many friends here at the Southern Air Temple and my friends, I come with a warning about my own nation. I fear that Fire Lord Sozin is planning things that are not good."

Elder Monk Hoku nodded, "Yes, but you know we are a peaceful people. Unlike the Earth Kingdom, we have no military. We prefer to stay that way."

Avatar Roku nodded, "I know. I respect the ways of your people. However I fear that Fire Lord Sozin has been looking to the skies a little too vigorously. I don't know what he has planned, but his soldiers seized a monk from the Eastern Air Temple. I fear she is in captivity. Sozin promised me that he would not go on with his plans, but if I find that this monk was tortured…"

Monk Hoku spoke, "If she has been harmed by anyone in the Fire Nation, her people will welcome her and heal her. We do not take vengeance; however, we will stay cautious and be warned. Please get her back and bring her here. We would not have her go back to her own temple, where they might follow her."

Avatar Roku nodded, "Do you need help with a distraction?"

Monk Hoku shook his head, "You are not only the bridge between our world and that of the spirit world. You are the bridge between the Fire Nation and the rest of the world and a personal bridge to Sozin. Talk to him and please get him to let our sister go. We will send someone to go with you."

Avatar Roku nodded and bowed to the head monks of the Southern Air Temple. Then turning and looking up at four children who were peering down at them from a high balcony.

Monk Hoku quirked a brow, "Is there anything wrong?"

Avatar Roku smiled a little and humbly bowed before the oldest monk, "No there isn't. I will go and come back with her as soon as I can." He turned to leave.

Demoska ducked her head down, "He saw us!"

Yai hissed between gritted teeth, "No crap!"

Jiao widened his eyes, "I don't know if you guys noticed but…he looked right at me…"

Demoska rolled her eyes, "Nuh uh. You're just seeing things."

Jiao shook his head, "No I wasn't. The Avatar was looking right at me I swear!"

Jigako said nothing.

*

The kids sat around in Yai's kitchen, looking forlorn.

Demoska went to hug Yai and try to soothe her tears, seeing that it held to no prevail.

Jiao didn't know what to say so he went and grabbed Demoska's shoulder, shaking his head at her.

Demoska let go of the crying Yai and let Jiao take over comforting her, "I'm sorry."

Jigako looked to the floor.

Demoska whispered to herself, "I can't believe they asked Monk Kannin to go to the Fire Nation and to leave Yai behind." She spoke up, "Yai, my parents will watch over you. It's gonna be okay."

Jigako shook his head, wanting to cry as much as Yai. He felt her pain. At first, he was really happy about getting a love letter two days ago. And every time Demoska wanted to tell him something in private or ask him a question, something always happened to prevent them from talking. But this was by far the most painful thing. Monk Kannin was a beautiful, lovely, kind woman. But everyone knew that whoever they asked to go to the Fire Nation with the Avatar might not come back. They chose Monk Kannin because of her traveling experience and connections. She'd been to the Fire Nation many times and had the most allies there. Even so, it didn't make it any less painful for Yai. Monk Kannin held sleepovers for them all, cooked for them, was such a mother to them ever since they all became friends.

Knowing that it was Jiao hugging her close comforted her. She cried into his chest eagerly, clinging to him.

Jiao picked Yai up, cradling her smaller body close and looking to Demoska and Jigako, "I'll take her to her room." He carried her to where he knew by heart.

Laying Yai on her bead, he looked to her, and before he could move away he widened his eyes to try and process what was happening.

Yai had been crying for hours and now she was here, tear filled eyes closed, sitting close to him on her bed kissing his lips.

He didn't know what to think, but he wanted so badly to just close his eyes and kiss her back. People often underestimated his true intellect because of the way he purposely acted. He acted like the 10 year old boy he was. But right now, his mind clicked to think older and wiser.

He closed his eyes slowly but surely. This was his first kiss and he knew it was Yai's. He felt so bad for her because of her mother leaving. But the kiss felt so…great. He didn't find himself wishing it was Demoska. It was all…Yai. He wrapped his arm around her waist, leaning her back down and pulling away.

She opened her eyes slowly but surely, the tears falling back down her face and onto the pillow.

Jiao placed a finger on her lips, "Just go to sleep. It's gonna be okay." Reaching down, he pulled her blankets up to her chin and tucked her in gently. "I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

Yai closed her eyes, sniffling. Happy that her friends were here for her. Even happier that Jiao kissed her back and this was enough to whisk her off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4: Defenses

_**4 years later…**_

14 year old Yai opened her eyes to another day. Sitting up, she sighed as she thought about the last four years of her life.

Monk Kannin went with the Avatar to free the monk captured by the Fire Nation. It took weeks of negotiating for her to be released. Kannin returned home with the monk and the Avatar. The children had been there waiting for her to return. All of them. She came back to find Jigako and Demoska asleep at her table holding hands. She went to check on Yai and saw Jiao hugging her in the bed sleeping next to her. She kept the children at her house, asking Avatar Roku to stay at her home and help her tend to Monk Utai from the Eastern Air Temple. She explained to Avatar Roku how special all of the children were that they found in her house and wished that he stayed to meet them.

Jigako was the first to wake up, Jiao secondly. Jigako woke up Demoska while Jiao woke up Yai and they all gathered in the main room and cried, running towards Monk Kannin and hugging her. She had to soothe them all, starting with Yai while Avatar Roku watched, smiling. Monk Utai was resting in a guest bedroom.

Roku learned of Yai from Monk Kannin speaking of her nonstop. Mentioning of how she wanted to get her a proper earthbending teacher. She couldn't play charades with earthbending for too long as an airbender. Roku agreed to teach Yai during his stay as a humble thank you.

Monk Kannin sent Demoska and the twins home after another day, giving them the job of letting people know of her return.

Yai had learned so much from Avatar Roku and told him of her ambitions and dreams to travel. To see Omashu. He told her of another place she could see. The Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Sei. And she made a new dream; to go see both Omashu and Ba Sing Sei one day. Yai advanced much in her earthbending, even more than she ever could have with her mother. She knew her mother was proud of her.

Avatar Roku had to leave after teaching her, but prompted her to practice daily so that she could become great in her blood born right.

Yai thought of how she didn't end up with Jiao. She brought up their kiss again and he said it was to make her feel better. No matter what he did, she could never grow angry at him. She always tried to understand his way of thinking. She knew very well he would still have feelings for Demoska.

Yai vowed that she would have Jiao one day as hers, even though he vowed that he wouldn't touch a woman other than one he loved. Yai grew less desperate knowing that saving herself for a boy who didn't seem to want her was not a decision that would be in vain. She would have to be patient, but in the meantime be his closest friend.

Demoska turned 13 without telling Jigako that she wrote the note. But on Jigako and Jiao's 11th birthday she surprised Jigako with a kiss when seeing that he still kept the letter in his bedroom and knowing that he read it every night. She knew that one day she would tell him she wrote it, but knew that she would save it for a very special moment.

With Demoska and Jigako getting together, Jiao was beyond jealous. He found himself suppressing his anger and ranting to Yai whenever he got the chance. It deterred his airbending training and Jigako advanced without him. Either way, he did things to distract himself from an aching heart like live freely, play Pai Sho, and play pranks on people. He went to Yai when he couldn't take it anymore. When the pain built up and became too much. She was the one hugging him close when he would burst into tears over the matter.

He couldn't blame Jigako, since that was his twin brother. And he knew Jigako was oblivious when it came to girls. He was there and saw Demoska willingly kiss Jigako. He blamed Yai for a while for not telling Demoska how he felt, and after a while realized he needed Yai, so he couldn't stay angry at her for too long. No matter what, he and Jigako were brothers, twins at that. They had a connection few people on earth had. He couldn't jeopardize it. He kept his feelings a secret to everyone else except Yai. He pretended to be happy for Jigako and Demoska.

Yai turned her head and looked out her window. Jiao was there sitting on an air ball, looking the other way. She was the first person to notice that ever since Jigako and Demoska became boyfriend and girlfriend, he started dressing differently than Jigako, claiming his own individuality, and developed an interesting trait. He always blushed when he lied.

She felt so bad for him and wished she could do more and show him that her feelings for him were still strong, but she knew he wouldn't have it. She kept her feelings a secret, even from Demoska.

Getting up and walking to her open window, she leaned out and sighed, "You should come in Jiao."

"No I'm fine."

She thought of his rant the previous night, "Are you sure? My mom is about to make breakfast."

He turned and looked back to her sighing, "Alright fine. Stand back."

She watched him ride the air ball in through her very wide window and land, smiling a little at him, "She's unknowingly making your favorite dish. I asked her to."

He nodded, "Thanks." Walking and sitting on her bed, he collapsed on it, squeezing the blankets in fists.

Yai walked up and sat down next to him, "Jiao. There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I heard from my mom that…there's been a lot of talk between the other temples about the Fire Nation."

Jiao looked up to her questioningly, "Well what's that supposed to mean?"

"Remember that day that mom left and we didn't think she'd come home alive?"

He nodded, looking with concern.

"Well I think it's about what happened then. Monk Utai is coming back here with escorts. I'm not sure why but mom says she's gonna be living with us again."

"What kind of talk about the Fire Nation is going around?"

"They're saying things like, they're getting out of control. I hear power hungry all too often."

"Well it's okay Yai. If they call your mom again then I'm sure the Avatar will step in and help out."

"No. I think they'll call your dad. I know you spend a lot of time with your teacher, more than at home. But if something happens I know they'll want all of our parents."

Jiao widened his eyes, "That's just not right…"

He was cut off by a large boom echoing throughout the land. Upon hearing another one, they looked at each other with wide eyes.

Monk Kannin ran into the room, "Children! Go hide some place safe! We are under attack!"

Yai shouted, "Who mom who would do such a thing!?"

Jiao pointed outside as flames sprung up over a nearby park.

Monk Kannin fought to keep from her mouth dropping open, "I…oh my…" she covered her mouth, "The…the Fire Nation is attacking us!? How could this be?"

Yai yelled, "Let's go mom!"

Jiao reached and took Yai's hand, grabbing Monk Kannin's and they all rushed to get out of the house, looking around as monks and nuns rushed to put out the fires and defend their home against the invaders.

Jiao narrowed his eyes, "We can help!"

Monk Kannin narrowed her eyes, "I think not. You children get some place safe. Go to the monk's main temple after getting the others. I will help to protect you all." She dashed forwards, out of their sight completely within seconds.

Yai reached for her, but Jiao held her back, "No mom no! Jiao let me go!"

"We can't…she's as strong as any of the monks. She can handle herself."

"I'm not going to sit by and watch people suffer Jiao!"

"I'm not either so are you with me or not?"

Yai looked back at him and then getting a grip, she nodded, "I…I just can't believe this is happening. How could they do this? First they take monks captive left and right for the past four years and hold them against their will…and now they're directly attacking our sacred temples…"

"I'm angry too, but we can't let it cloud us. We can help anyone who needs help."

"Where's Jigako and Demoska?"

"Back at my house. Let's go find them first."

They rushed, hand in hand, away from the carnage and fights, rushing to find an empty house. Rushing out and running along paths they used to walk, they looked around not finding a trace of them.

Yai cursed under her breath, "Demoska was supposed to travel to the Western Air Temple today with her teacher."

"They couldn't have left. No way…"

"GUYS!" Demoska ran up to them, panting when she caught up to them.

Yai shouted, "Where have you been? We're under attack!"

Demoska nodded, "I know, but I…I have to tell you both about…" The 16 year old burst into tears, "Jigako went to go fight with the monks!"

Jiao blinked, "What!? That's insane!" He turned, opening his glider which he was carrying with his other hand, "You guys go to safety in the temple. I'll look for my brother!"

"But Jiao! We need you here."

Jiao shouted at Demoska, "What if HE needs me more!?"

Lip quivering, Demoska turned to Yai.

Yai put a hand on her cheek, "Jigako is going to be just fine. The monks won't let anything happen to him. I know it's scary but Jiao and I were going to go around and help people. Do you want to help us or go to safety?"

Demoska looked to both Yai and Jigako, pulling herself together and wiping her tears, "I…I need to pull myself together. Yes, I'll help you both help whoever you can."

Jiao gripped his glider tighter.

Yai objected, "Jiao, Jigako is going to be fine! Help us help people like you said."

Jiao looked to her, then to Demoska and then nodded.

The three ran around searching for people who could have been lost, wounded or hurt, helping get people into the main hall of the temple where the people who couldn't bend had already been gathering. Children were being watched over and calmed.

Yai sighed, "Demoska, these people need someone to step up and calm them all down. They're keeping the children quiet but everyone's frightened."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Lead them, instruct them, comfort them. I know you can do it. Jiao and I will guard this place with our lives."

"But what about you guys? I can help you…"

Yai shook her head quickly, "You're not very good at airbending. Leave this to us. Your job is a lot more important. Don't let them panic or lose hope!"

Demoska sniffled but regained a strong composure and nodded, "Yes yes Yai you're right. You guys go on ahead. I'll be here."

Yai ran up to Jiao and they both dashed to the front of the temple to guard it.

Jiao grabbed Yai as they saw Fire Nation soldiers approaching.

Yai smiled at Jiao with a look of full confidence, letting her Earth Kingdom pride shine, "We can take em. Everyone lies when they say you're not as good as Jigako. They're all liars. I know you're the better airbender. So show me some moves."

Jiao smiled back, pumped, "Thanks Yai." He turned, them both facing the Fire Nation soldiers.

Yai knew that her earthbending was stronger when she didn't wear shoes. So that her body could bond with the earth as it was meant to. She gave a wicked grin as she forgot to put her shoes on during this invasion of their home, "Jiao, I'll cover you." She spread her legs and bent her knees, making fists and taking in a breath.

"Run inside and no one gets hurt!" One soldier warned.

Yai shouted, "EAT DIRT!" Stomping on the ground and raising a fist, pieces of the ground came upward, "JIAO!"

Jiao gripped his glider and spun around between the giant rocks; creating gusts strong enough to propel the rocks at the soldiers. He stopped when they were all knocked out and smiled at Yai, Yai smiling back.

They both stood at the foot of the stairs in battle stances, ready for anyone that might come their way.

*

"Listen everyone. The Fire Nation surprised us with this attack. No one saw it coming and we have no contact with our sister temples. We don't know if they are being attacked or not and we don't know if they are alright." Demoska looked around at all the people, "But hear me out! We are defending our home from these invaders no matter how long it takes! We are a people who believe that no one should be a sacrifice! Every life is sacred! We will defeat these foreigners hands down and everyone who went out to fight will come back here safely! I know that some of your fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, relatives, friends, and even our Elders have gone to fight. This battle will end very soon!"

She took a deep breath, "My boyfriend is out there fighting for us as well. So I'm not some person standing up here with nothing to lose. My friends are outside fighting to keep this temple safe so that no one gets past them and in here to us. We need you and I need you to be strong and to not be afraid. We will be the side that walks away in total victory today! My people…we will have no fear here! We will be full of nothing but hope! Everyone stand to your feet and pray with me that not a single life be lost! Are you with me!?"

Demoska took a break to breathe from her shouting, but inwardly smiled at the fact that she spoke the fear out of her people. Everyone was standing and then kneeling before her and she knelt towards them, loudly and clearly beginning a prayer.

*

Jiao spun his glider and repelled a burst of flames.

Yai rose up a wall to block flames coming in her direction. Stepping and rushing the heated boulder at the Fire Nation soldiers who were trying to knock it back with flames. It was futile.

Jiao narrowed his eyes and began to inhale and exhale gently, a gust around them building up as he did so, "Yai, surround yourself in cover." He went back to concentrating.

She did as told with an earth tent.

Jiao's breaths affected the winds itself and from inhaling and exhaling deeply and roughly gradually, he blew outwards, creating gusts of sheer force at whipping speeds, blasting the next battalion of Fire Nation soldiers back.

Yai lowered the earth walls she made around herself as soon as it was over, looking out at the bodies all sprawled out, "Nice job. I didn't know you could make hurricanes."

Jiao snickered, "Just the wind part. I'd need a waterbender to get that right."

A figure appeared in the distance. Yai squinted about to attack when Jiao shouted, "JIGAKO!"

Sure enough, the figure waved at them and was followed by many other figures approaching.

Yai grew excited and ran inside while Demoska and the people were praying shouting for joy, "It's over! Everyone's alright! Everyone's alright! Come outside quick! The Fire Nation retreated!"

Demoska shot up as did the other people and everyone rushed outside of the temple, running to reunite with their loved ones.

Demoska ran, searching around for him, turning her head left and right, to and fro and finally, a familiar bald 14 year old waved in midst of the monks. She ran up and threw herself into his arms, sobbing and kissing him roughly, "Don't you ever do that again! I don't care how much of a prodigy you are! Stupid stupid! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you!?"

Jigako said nothing and kissed back for every kiss, hugging her tightly to himself, running his fingers through her long black hair soothingly, closing his eyes and relishing in her touch.

Demoska cried into his chest, "I can't live without you. Don't you know that?"

Jigako reached and lifted her face to his, smiling at her and kissing her reverently, "And I you."

She hugged him tighter, clinging to the back of his shirt, falling limp against him as he held her, "Oh Jigako…"

Jiao and Yai had been walking through the crowd to find the couple, not spotting them at first.

Yai pointed, "There." She watched Jigako and Demoska share a deep kiss, turning to see Jiao watching them as well, "Jiao…" she touched his shoulder, "We saved the temple from being burnt down and all the people inside. Just you and me." She knew she had to distract him from what he was seeing. She stepped in front of him, not caring that she was much shorter than he was. She could sense his anger already building up. Reaching up, she grabbed his chin and yanked his face to meet hers, "We are heroes today. Everyone's gonna take back what they've been saying about you being the lesser brother."

Jiao looked her in the eyes for a long while and then calmed down as he knew she wanted him to.

Yai was the only one who could control his temper and keep him cool in midst of anything happening, "They better recognize me after today."

Yai nodded, "They will. Now can you come with me and help me find my mom?" She took Jiao's hand and led him in the opposite direction as the couple making out.

Jiao followed her, though the image of them stayed stuck in his mind.


	5. Chapter 5: Lover's Bond

A/N: This chapter [and others to come, is why it's rated M for mature. This is more of an NC-17 type chapter.

Warning: Sexual relations between minors. [A 16 year old and 14 year old losing their virginity to one another] -- Oh come now, you all knew it was coming at _some _point. D

_______________________________________________________________________

*

Demoska took Jigako's hand as they watched the pond together in their special meeting place only known to them. They came here at night just to be together in privacy; to talk mostly. He told her all about what it was like fighting. He had to be spontaneous and make things up on the spot. Even so, his creativity shined as he helped the airbenders reach a total victory. There were only injuries but no deaths and the Fire Nation was forced to retreat.

Demoska told Jigako of what happened at the temple's main building. How Jiao and Yai defended it while she gave a speech to help the people who were just as scared as she was, "Jigako…do you think the Fire Nation is going to attack us again?"

He nodded, "I think this is only the beginning. They attacked just us, but I think the other temples are going to meet the same treatments."

"That's awful." She squeezed his hand, "But I think you're right."

Jigako nodded, "All that was a month ago. Our homeland is fixed for the most part and we didn't lose a single person."

Demoska nodded. It was one of the rare times that Jigako was talkative, and she knew he was only like this with her.

"Demoska," he turned to look to her rather than the romantic scenery, "The monks saw so much in me that day they thought I had the spirit of a Master airbender in me."

She smiled, "Because you do."

He smiled, lifting her hand and kissing it, "They're going to make me a Monk."

She widened her eyes and then let out a yelp of joy, hugging him, "Oh my! That's amazing! You'll have to be the youngest Monk ever! I'm so happy for you Jigako!"

He kissed her cheek, "I'm going to accept and become Monk Jigako."

"Did you tell your brother yet?"

Jigako shook his head, "No not yet. I'll tell him. But I wanted to let you know first."

Demoska smiled widely, whispering, "There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a really long time now."

Jigako blinked, "What's that?"

Demoska took a deep breath, "4 years ago…you got a letter in your things from a secret admirer." She blushed, "I…I just wanted to let you know and I've kept trying to tell you that I wrote that love letter. It was me."

Jigako quirked a brow at her confession and then laughed a little, "I had faith that it was you. In the back of my mind, I always knew it." He looked to her lovingly, reaching and gently caressing her hair with his fingertips.

Demoska blushed more and gasped when she felt Jigako's mouth on her neck, moaning a bit, "Oh Jigako what are you doing?"

He was so sure that it was her and always had been all this time. Sucking and kissing along her neck he pushed his weight to her and laid her back on the grass, mounting her and looking down at her, breathing along her jaw, "Demoska…I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She blushed harder, wrapping her arms around him, "Oh Jigako…" Her entire face went red when she felt his hand going beneath her silk thin robes, lifting her dress gently, "Jigako…"

He kissed her deeply, lifting her dress and taking a hold of her undergarments, "I've never been so sure of anything else in my life." He blushed a little, "If you don't want me to, we can wait."

She shook her head, "That's not it. I just wanted to say that I feel the same. I want to be with you forever." Smirking, she ran a hand from his abdomen to his chest, "I want to see all of you while we do this."

He smiled, getting on his knees and taking his time removing his shirt, showing his bare chest for her eyes only. Getting off of her as she started to take off her own clothing. He watched her closely then taking a hold of his pants and starting to remove those along with his shorts underneath. Thankful they'd already taken of their shoes to be by the pond.

Demoska took in a deep breath and pulled her dress over her head, then taking her head coverings off and dropping them to the side, letting her long black hair flow freely. Watching as he was now naked, she looked him in his entirely. He was so handsome in every possible way. Feeling confident, she removed her own undergarments and set them to the side.

Jigako moved close to her and grabbed her hips, once again laying her to the grass and getting on top, kissing her while pressing against her inner thighs teasingly. Monitoring every gasp and moan that escaped her lips. He had the urge to make love to her before, and the only thing holding him back was his mind blocking the urge since he couldn't be too sure if she wrote the letter. But hearing it from her own mouth and believing it, knowing in his heart and mind that it was her who wrote that heartwarming sincere love letter all those years ago, he let his lustful floodgates open. All he needed was to hear her say it. The only thing he needed now was to hear her sounds of pleasure get louder.

She relinquished in these feelings that took over her body and throat entirely. She didn't care that she was 16 and he was going on 15 soon. They loved each other so much, they were inseparable. She thought of how she felt when he went to go fight a month ago. How worried for him she was. How she realized that with every cell in her body she truly couldn't live without him. She didn't ever want to think about him not coming back. Before he would become a monk and get to travel around the world, see the other Air Temples, she wanted this night to be just theirs and submitted to him without a shred of a doubt. Spreading her legs, cradling his lower body into hers, she wanted to give him all the access he'd need to bind them together in body and soul as lovers. They were losing their virginity to one another tonight.

He kissed from her face down to her collarbone, then across and making way back to her lips, saying loudly and clearly, "I love you Demoska."

She smiled sweetly up at him, "I love you too Jigako."

He pressed his hardness into her slowly, inching his way in, taking his time as he was hit by a wave of pleasure and she squeezed around him in discomfort. He had to fight hard not to move. The feelings that erupted, the desires, the will, were so strong but he would wait for her to feel the pleasure as well. He inched his length in, watching her blush and kissing her nose, "It's okay. It's almost over."

"Oh Jigako!" She gasped and squirmed at him moving deeper in, "You feel so…so good!"

He smiled and took that as his sign. She felt so slick, wet, and warm around him that he almost couldn't take it. How she squeezed around him involuntarily. He started to move his hips, catching a rhythm, loving her noises, her kisses, her whispers. He reached and clasped a hand around her breast, giving a firm squeeze as he thrust into her deep, pulling himself back to repeat the action.

Any other night she'd have been lying with him to gaze upon the stars. However she had to close her eyes as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her toes curling inwards, her arms grasping him ever so tightly as he penetrated her with a part of him that was hers and hers alone. She kept gasping, moaning his name aloud as he sweetly made love to her under the clear night sky. She tilted her head back, her blush in full bloom as she felt his lips around her breast, his tongue playing around joyously. She had no idea making love with Jigako would be this fulfilling and she loved every second of it. His pulsing hard manhood piercing her and rubbing along her delicate interior. He knew just the right speed to go as well. They were taking it slow and easy seeing as to how it was both of their first time.

Releasing his oral grip of her breast, he moved to the other to give it the same treatment. Seeing as to how this attention made her wetter, he sucked vigorously as he pumped himself deep inside of her, taking advantage of the opportunity. She screamed his name in delight. He went back to kissing her lips to hush her. People knew they were going out, but they didn't need anyone rushing here to find them while they were making love. Either way while he was drumming himself in and out of her, he could hardly think, he felt himself going into almost a dream-like state it felt so good.

Her hand found way to his and he laced their fingers together, giving her hand a squeeze. Holding hands had always been their silent way of letting each other know how they felt at the time. He was surprised he even had it in him to know what her squeezing his hand like this meant. The sensation was overwhelming. It only got better as each moment passed by.

She started chanting in tune with his thrusts, raising her voice, "I love you! Oh Jigako…!"

"Demoska…" His cheeks turned red as his voice was louder than he wanted it to be, "I love you too." He squeezed her hand more, feeling a building feeling welled up in his very being. He went faster, harder, unable to keep control over himself anymore but he knew she loved it. She was enjoying it, that's what mattered to him the most.

As he went faster, she thought she saw stars as he hit a special spot deep inside of her. She tightened her hold of him and shouted, "Aah Jigako! There!"

He smothered her with kisses to suppress her joyful screams while he brushed away at that same spot inside of her. He started sweating, the body heat was immense. He felt as if he couldn't hold back any longer, "De-Demoska! I'm…"

She squeezed her thighs around his hips to assure him that she wanted it. She wanted it all inside of her. It was okay.

He released while deep inside of her, gasping against her lips. His cheeks red at this being the first time he ever came in his life. He felt so…whole. Like he was putting a part of him into her that would make them truly inseparable, binding their spirits. He stopped his movements, lingering inside of her, panting and looking down into her eyes, "Demoska…"

Feeling everything, his member, his semen flowing into her, she'd squeezed her arms and legs around him tightly, feeling wet and sticky where their bodies joined. She didn't mind. She gazed up at him when it was over, "I want to…" she moved against him, "Oh Jigako it will the happiest day of my life when I find myself carrying your baby."

He smiled, "Our baby." He kissed her and pulled himself out, breaking the kiss to lie at her side, facing her and placing his hand on her cheek.

She missed the warmth already against the night air. Moving to cuddle as close to his body as possible, looking into his eyes.

"Demoska…I never told you this before but…you have such beautiful eyes."

Her blush remained, "T-thank you."

"I would want our baby to have your eyes." He put a hand on her stomach, rubbing lightly.

She poked the blue arrow on his forehead, tracing his bald head, "The arrows on your skin all seem to be pointing at me." She giggled, pressing her body firmly onto his.

He laughed, kissing her cheek, "They're pointing to the one I love with everything that makes me. Because she is my hope no matter what."

She smirked, "Oh she is huh?"

He smiled, "She was my hope in battle. Because she is the person I want to protect the most."

She giggled, "Well while she had been worried sick about him, she had hope that he would return unharmed to her. Jigako…after you officially are coroneted and become a Monk, they'll want you with them in every battle. You said yourself it was only the beginning."

He looked to her calmly, "Yes?"

"Promise me that you'll always come back to me, no matter what happens."

He kissed her forehead, "I promise. I will always come back to you no matter what happens."

"Without a scratch?"

He chuckled, "There won't be a single cut on my body. I'll strip naked for you to inspect me every time. That's another promise."

"Deal. I'll be your caretaker every time. Though I might be tempted to do more than inspect your body."

"I look forward to it."

She laughed, "I wonder if I really will carry our baby after what we did."

Jigako smiled at her sweetly, "If you don't, we can keep trying as many times at it takes. A baby would be the best thing that could happen to us."

"Even at such a time? With the Fire Nation out of control?"

"I'll protect you and the baby. So it will be fine."

She giggled, "We better start thinking of names, just in case. I really would love to carry our son."

He quirked a brow, "No daughter?"

She laughed, "We can have a daughter too. Or maybe we'll have twins." She nodded to herself, "One day."

He sat up, looking back to her, "Want to swim in the pond?"

She followed suit, feeling the sticky mess between her legs, "Yes I want to wash off. I can't go home with our mingled essence all over me. We were so close I might carry your scent _and_ smell like sex. My parents would question that."

He nodded, taking her hand and helping her up, looking at her naked body admiringly, "You're so beautiful Demoska."

She reached, poking the blue arrow on his forehead again, "You handsome thing, tell me that after we get in the water."

He laughed, pulling her towards the shore, stepping in and walking so that he was waist deep, guiding her with him.

Shivering from the chilly water, she stayed close to him to feel his warmth.

Jigako turned back to her, grabbing Demoska by her hips and pulling her closer, kissing her deeply, "I want to clean up our mingled mess for you."

She blushed more, "Oh?" she moaned when she felt his hand slip under the water from her hip, his fingers pricking and prodding against her opening. "Aaah Jigako…" she smiled pleasantly, "Make sure you get deep inside." She bit her lip as two of his fingers went inside of her. Holding him tighter, "Aah…oooh…" she moaned, "I want you inside me again…please…"

His fingers retreated, stepping forward and moving until her back was against a firm surface. He wrapped her legs around his waist, grabbing himself and guiding himself into her once more, then holding her buttocks firmly, whispering seductively "As you wish Demoska…"

She moaned, kissing him, "Oh clean me out thoroughly Jigako…"

He smiled against her lips, bringing himself in deeper, "Yes…yes my love."

She closed her eyes, making their next shared kiss as passionate as their actions, not even wanting to break for air.

*

Yai opened the door for Demoska, who seemed even more excited than usual, stepping away from the door and letting her pass in, she closed it, "Hey what's up?"

Demoska grabbed Yai and hugged her, then ushering her up towards her room so Monk Kannin wouldn't hear their conversation.

Yai obliged, quirking a brow, "Uh did something happen that I'm not aware of?"

Demoska closed the door to Yai's room then hugging her again, "Yai it's wonderful! Remember when on my 13th birthday how I was declared a Nun?"

"Yeah I was at your coronation, duh."

"Jigako! Jigako's becoming a Monk at 14!"

Yai smiled, hugging back, "Oh Demoska! That's so awesome!"

Demoska whispered, "And there's something else I want to tell you about."

Yai nodded, "Come on and sit on my bed and tell me all about it!"

Demoska blushed, but couldn't retain her excitement, "You're my best friend Yai. You know as much about me as Jigako. So you have to be the first person to know what happened between us last night."

Yai listened, curious, "What happened?"

Demoska smiled widely, "We made love for the first time. And it…he…felt so good…!"

Yai's mouth dropped open and she had to replay what she just said in her mind, "You mean you and him actually?"

Demoska nodded, "Don't tell anyone Yai. But if we have a baby, I want you to be like its second mother."

Yai leaned back on her bed, "Wow…I had no idea Jigako had that in him. I mean he's so quiet and all." She blushed, trying to think about it. She knew how sex worked, but she wouldn't ever do it until she knew the time was right. She grew excited, dropping her tomboy act completely. "So…what was it like!?"

"It was so amazing Yai! He told me he wants to spend to rest of his life with me. Oh it was like out of a fairy tale! And then he reached under my dress. I was surprised. I mean I thought I would be the one making the first move you know. Because he's usually so shy and I'm the confident one. But he was so confident last night. We took off everything to do it." She touched Yai's arm, watching the girl almost lean over in suspense, "When he first…you know; it hurt." She didn't want to get into too much detail since Yai was a 14 year old tomboy. She was just breaking out of the 'boys are yucky and love is mushy stage' in her opinion.

Yai blinked, "Really? How badly?" She'd never heard that it hurt before.

"It wasn't too bad. I will admit, it was very uncomfortable. It was like I was being pried open in a way down there. But it only took a few minutes to feel completely amazing. I mean everything the entire time." She winked, "And you know Jigako works out. Oh looking at his figure. I could see how all the arrows went on his body."

Yai giggled, "Where there any blue arrows on his?"

Demoska blushed, "No no. Not at all! They don't go there..."

Yai shrugged, "What? I've always been curious as to how they went on a guy. I've only seen my mom's arrows when we took baths together."

Demoska smirked, poking Yai's arm, "Wouldn't you just love to see Jiao's arrows?"

Yai yelped and blushed, turning away, "N-no!"

Demoska laughed, "I knew it! You like Jiao." She smiled, "You really should go for it Yai! We could be like sisters!" She snickered, "And remember, Jiao might dress differently, but he's exactly like Jigako in many ways."

Yai gave her a look of horror, "You mean that Jiao and I should…?"

Demoska laughed, "No no no! I'm not saying to pounce Jiao and ask him to lose your virginity. I'm talking you guys just being together as a cute couple. I mean Jigako and I were together as a cute couple for 4 years and we saw each other naked for the first time last night. If you did get with Jiao, I'd want you guys to take your time. Never rush into anything. I know Jiao acts the opposite of Jigako and he might want to try something sooner, but you always have the right to decline."

Yai blinked, "That almost makes Jiao sound like a bad guy."

Demoska sighed, "I don't mean to make him sound like that. Just saying that he's not as patient as Jigako."

Yai blinked.

"I think you guys would look really good together Yai."

Yai shook her head, thinking of Jiao's pledge years ago, "I don't think so."

"Aw Yai. Don't get discouraged. You two would make a beautiful couple. So what if you're both skilled at opposite elements. Opposites are supposed to attract."

Yai shook her head some more, "No no, it's not that." _I still never told Demoska. But…NOW? She's had sex with Jigako and might have his baby. Maybe it is best if she never knows about Jiao. I'm sure Jiao still loves her though._

"Yai there's something that you should know and always remember."

"What is it?" Now she was even more curious, thinking it had to do with sex again.

"Yai…in other countries I know people have this thing called marriage. And here, as Air Nomads, we don't have that exactly. You know as well as I do that we believe love transcends heresay and ceremonies. Love is life and creates life."

Yai nodded.

"As Air Nomads," she took Yai's hands, "We all believe that when you feel love for a person and they love you, you two will be together in body, mind, soul, and spirit forever."

Yai nodded again, "Like you and Jigako."

"My point is. When you choose a mate, I want you to choose wisely. Even if it's Jiao or not. The moment you tell a person who isn't related to you that you love them, its equivalent to marriage the other countries have. And as Air Nomads, when you find a mate, you're with them for life. You know that right?"

Yai blinked, "I didn't know all that! I mean I knew we chose mates and all. But…for real? Literally for life?"

Demoska nodded, "I remember Jigako first told me he loved me years ago and I told him the same. We connected each others' spirits. Last night, we bound our souls when he first went into me and sealed the bond when he came in me."

Yai blushed now trying not to think about a naked Jigako or Demoska, "But wait. You and Jigako are completely and totally bonded and intertwined now. Shouldn't you tell your parents and he tells his dad?"

Dekosma shook her head, "The thing is, the monks believe a lot should only be beginning by the time you're 16. Yai remember I'm the one who is 16, Jigako is still 14! It wouldn't be acceptable, even with both of our titles and honor. I can't let my parents know till Jigako turns 16. Then he can tell his father too. I mean our parents know that we've been together as a couple but no one suspects we'd sleep with each other since we follow every other tradition carefully."

Yai nodded, looking seriously, "I don't think Jiao should know either."

"Precisely. Jigako would get in so much trouble if Jiao told! We wouldn't be allowed to see each other again!"

Yai sighed, "Calm down. I'm gonna be the only one who knows about this. Just…are you going to continue sleeping with Jigako knowing all this? And what if you two do have a baby?"

Demoska nodded, "Yes, I am. Jigako is my soul mate. I won't ever deny my passions when I'm around him ever. I can't ever sugarcoat how much I love him. I know our meeting place is one where we'll never get caught. And if we are destined to have a baby, then so be it. There will be nothing anyone can do about us being together then."

"I see. Are you going to see him tonight?"

"Yes…yes I am."

"You gonna do it with him again tonight?"

Demoska nodded, "Nothing will part our love Yai. We know the consequences for not waiting just two more years."

"What was it that…seemed to ignite him to take charge and do you girl?"

Demoska blushed, "Remember that love letter that I wrote him?"

"You let him know it was you didn't you?"

"Yes. As soon as I told him that, he wanted to have sex. It was like he'd been waiting so long to hear me admit to it. He knew it was mine all along. But I knew that I wanted to tell him and was waiting for the perfect moment. The outcome surprised me, but I was so happy." She clasped her hands together, "I wanted him to make love to me so badly too."

Yai nodded, sighing once more, "Wow. You guys are gonna have to keep this a secret for two years. You sure you can go that long without getting caught?"

Demoska smirked, "Of course we can. Remember we are masters of our fields and quick on our feet."

"Where is your secret meeting place anyway?"

She winked, placing her index finger on Yai's lips, "If I told you then it wouldn't be a secret now would it?"

Yai giggled, "Yeah, you're right. Just be careful girlie and don't get caught. You know Jiao and Jigako's father is really strict. He's gonna be even harder on Jiao since Jigako and Jiao used to be on the same level and Jigako is gonna become a Monk without him."

Demoska nodded, getting up, "I'm gonna go meet my Monk now. He's probably waiting for me in our secret place."

Yai giggled, "Alrighty." She walked Demoska out of her room and out her door, hugging her before her best friend departed. Watching after her as she walked away.

*

Yai awoke in the middle of the night to a tapping on her window, getting up and rubbing her eyes, she knew only one person would be coming here at that time of night. Opening it for Jiao, she closed it when he got in. He looked upset. She grabbed his arm and guided him to her bed to sit and talk, "What's wrong Jiao?"

He sighed, "Jigako's becoming a Monk. His coronation is in two days."

"Shouldn't you be happy for your brother though?"

Jiao nodded, "Yeah but…we were supposed to do that together as brothers…"

She nodded, "Jiao…"

"I train hard! I try my hardest every day. My master watches me and even he seems disappointed in me for not becoming a Monk at 14 too. Everyone knows Jigako is more of a prodigy than I am."

"No Jiao, that's not true at all." _I'm so glad he came here to me instead of going out to look for Jigako or Demoska._ "You're just as good as Jigako is."

"Then why aren't I becoming a Monk too!? Why won't I be Monk Jiao in two days with Jigako?"

"You're just really confused. You're still letting everything bother you. You're not at peace Jiao. You're angry on the inside."

"SO WHAT!?"

"Jiao…you're not an angry person. Airbending is never based on anger. You can't advance because you're letting everything cloud your mind. You're jealous of Jigako and you shouldn't be. Be happy for your brother instead. Find your inner peace."

Jiao calmed down and laid back on Yai's bed, "My dad is being…him again. Can I stay here with you tonight?"

She blushed, thinking about what Demoska told her earlier that evening about lovers, "Yeah."

She got in bed next to Jiao, slowly wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her, settling his face into her bosom and smoothing her fingers over his bald head, "Just get some rest. Go to sleep Jiao…rest easy."

Jiao closed his eyes, leaning against her and placing his hand on her side, sighing, "You're my closest friend Yai. What would I do without you?"

She closed her eyes, "You'd actually start murdering Fire Nation soldiers for fun."

He chuckled.

She didn't know if she'd imagined it or not due to falling asleep, but she could have sworn he kissed into her bosom. Though she did hear a very sincere 'thanks' before drifting off.

Elsewhere, Demoska kissed Jigako after he came into her, moaning one last time as he pulled out.

Jigako smiled and held Demoska close to him after their intercourse, breathing easy, "My coronation is a day and a half away."

"I know." She nuzzled her face into his chest, keeping her hold of him, "I talked to Yai today. She knows about what we're doing and what we'll continue to do. Jigako…we can't get caught."

He quieted, thinking to himself, "I know."

"Jigako…"

"Yes Demoska?"

"I'd rather die than lose you."

He smiled, kissing her, "I know. I feel the same way."

There was a peaceful silence between them.

"Jigako"

"Mhm?"

She looked to him seriously, "I'd rather die than be a single parent too. I would never want to birth our baby and have to raise it without you."

"I'd have it no other way than us raising a baby together Demoska."

She smiled again, "We have to seriously consider names since we already know what we want. A baby boy who looks exactly like you but with my eyes."

He smiled, "A unique name for a special child. He'll be born from two prodigies after all."

Demoska tilted her head back, "What was your mother's name Jigako?"

"My father says her name was Aara. He renamed his bison after her when she died."

Demoska thought to herself, "Aara…" _That's too feminine for our son's name. But I want his name to sound like that. Begin with an A._ Eyeing the blue arrows on his body, she thought to herself while cuddling with her lover under the stars.


	6. Chapter 6: Training

*

Jigako bowed before the elders, Yai doing the same.

Elder Hoku nodded, "These two youths have transcended that of anyone their age as one had before them. Rise Monk Jigako, Nun Yai."

They stood, bowing honorably to the oldest Monk in the Southern Air Temple as well as Demoska's master.

"You are dismissed."

They looked at each other and then turned in sync, walking out of the chamber, proud of themselves, their family and friends outside of the temple cheering for them both.

Demoska ran up to Yai, hugging her, "You're now Nun Yai!"

Yai giggled, hugging back, "But you beat me to it. You've been Nun Demoska since you were 13."

Jiao looked to his brother and smiled weakly, reaching his hand out to shake it, "You did good buddy."

Jigako wanted nothing more than Jiao's approval, taking his hand, he pulled his twin towards him and hugged him, whispering, "You'll have your very own time soon. I promise it Jiao."

Jiao hugged back, trying to swallow his pride by thinking of what Yai told him. That being jealous of everything his brother had wasn't the person he was. He was peaceful.

_Peaceful…you're peaceful Jiao._

Monk Kannin, Yai's adoptive mother, smiled at the youths, happy for them but concerned. Jiao was the only one of the four who hadn't advanced as a prodigy child. Though she knew he had great airbending skills. She believed she knew how to give him the courage and will to step up and claim his rightful place, no matter how long it took to snap the poor boy out of his depressed daze. In the meantime, she smiled along with Monk Jagu, the twin's father and both of Demoska's parents and they would all celebrate Yai's and Jigako's achievement at such an early age.

*

Jiao blinked, walking out to Monk Kannin's backyard with Yai, "Um, you wanted me for something Monk Kannin?"

Monk Kannin stood at the far end in the tall grass, drinking tea.

Yai quirked a brow, "Mom?"

"Children. You both know that I have traveled the world in my youth and even now. It was how I adopted Yai as my own daughter to raise. I saw that baby crying and my heart melted as she cried out for a mother's touch. I remember it all like it was yesterday."

Yai and Jiao looked at each other questioningly, "Mom we all know the story. Everyone in the Southern Air Temple knows that I'm an earthbender. It's why I didn't become a Monk with Jigako today and became a Nun instead."

Monk Kannin turned around, closing the fingers of her left hand together and airbending her teacup so that it floated above her fingers, "There's a moral to the story underneath the original moral and I think Jiao has to learn it for himself."

Jiao blinked, confused, "What's that?"

Monk Kannin smiled, blowing a gust from her fingertips and propelling the teacup far up into the air, "It seems my tea has taken flight. Can you get it before it falls and spills Jiao?"

He opened his glider about to fly up, though suddenly a chain of rocks grabbed onto the handle.

"Yai!? What are you doing!?"

Monk Kannin looked stern, "You do not have much time Jiao. Save every last drop of my tea please."

Jiao looked to Yai who was smiling, then Monk Kannin, and then blew towards the ground, propelling himself up towards the teacup, grabbing it and turning it to get all the raining droplets of tea, landing before Monk Kannin, "Here's your tea!"

Monk Kannin grabbed the tea and sipped it, "Thank you."

Jiao looked around, "What's all this about? Yai? Monk Kannin?"

Monk Kannin smiled sweetly, "Jiao. I am going to train you. I will teach you stances from each and every Air Nomad temple and teach you about the other nations, their stances, techniques that I have studied and have seen firsthand."

Jiao gulped and blushed, "T-train me? I don't need training…!"

Monk Kannin shook her head, "Yai and I will train you every night after you train with your master. You have to remember that Yai was taught advanced earthbending from the Avatar himself. She is as capable of being your teacher as I am. If you didn't need training you would be standing before me Monk Jiao today rather than just Jiao."

Jiao said nothing but sunk to his knees, placing his palms on the ground, "I…" he thought of how he kept feeling. He thought of his jealousy for Jigako. Of his obsession with Demoska. He thought of how much he hated Jigako for everything that he had. How he had the perfect girl, the perfect life. How he was now a Monk and could travel the world as he pleased. It all swarmed in his mind and his eyes stung, the tears dropping freely to the ground, "Y-yes. Please…teach me. Monk Kannin…Yai…teach me. I…I wanted to be a Monk today too. I don't want to do it when everyone else does. I want to be like Jigako. I want to advance."

Yai looked to him with sorrow. She knew he wasn't admitting to everything that was plaguing him. She knew he still loved Demoska but there was nothing anyone could do. She was keeping everyone's secrets and only Demoska knew that she still liked the boy crying in front of her. But at that moment, something in her mind changed. She didn't just like Jiao. No…she loved him. She always had and sugarcoated the love for like all this time.

Her mother didn't tell her that she was going to train Jiao, but a feeling in her gut was right when mom asked for her and Jiao to come outside after the celebration. She knew how nice her mother was. And other than she herself, her mother took no students. She wanted to be just like her mother. So kind and considerate of others. She wanted to be the earthbending version of Monk Kannin.

Monk Kannin looked at Jiao and knelt in front of him, opening her arms up to embrace him. He rushed into her arms, crying, "I…I've been so angry and hurt."

Monk Kannin nodded, rubbing his back, "Let it all out dear."

Yai released his glider from the rocks, and walked over to also hug Jiao, nuzzling her face into his shoulder, "It's gonna be okay."

Monk Kannin whispered hugging the children, "We are all the same people. We have to stand together always. We leave no one behind, no matter what."

Yai nodded, leaning and kissing Jiao's temple, "Hear that Jiao? We don't leave anyone behind. Emotionally or physically."

Jiao closed his eyes and kept crying, though something in his heart released. Like floodgates opening. He felt so relieved and hugged more into Yai than Monk Kannin.

Monk Kannin let them go and stood, "I'm going to fix tea for the both of you. I'll be right back."

She walked into her house.

Jiao looked up at Yai, hugging her tighter, "You're my best friend Yai…I see that now. Always have been."

She nodded, wanting so badly to tell him how she really felt about him. But now wasn't the time. He was traumatized and needed spiritual healing. She looked into his teary eyes and smiled at him, reaching to place her hands on each side of his head, rubbing to massage gently, "I'm always here for you." It hurt to give up speaking her feelings and take the place of a sisterly role to the boy she loved, but it's what had to be done. He wasn't ready and she wouldn't force him for the world.

*

Jiao arrived the next night after training with his own master, not seeing anyone in the back of the house at first, "Hey where is every one?"

Jiao widened his eyes as suddenly a tornado was headed his way, "What the!?" He took stance against it and suddenly found that he couldn't move his feet. He looked down, seeing the ground covering his feet, "I SUNK!?" No…that was earthbending…had to be! "Come on out you guys!" When no one answered, the tornado had gotten close enough to drag him in, the earth covering his feet gave way and he was swept up, following the current of the rapid winds. He had to think, and getting an idea, he created an air ball, spreading his hands outward to spread it out. He was going to use wind to break this tornado from the inside out before it moved and did any damage. Spreading his air ball, till it met the ends of the inside of the tornado, it suddenly ceased and he landed on his giant airball, looking down to see Monk Kannin and Yai standing and looking up at him.

He smiled, lowering himself to them and releasing the air ball.

Monk Kannin, clapped, "Almost had it. But we'll see improvement next time."

Jiao frowned, "Uh, so that was your tornado right? That's amazing, how could you keep it up so long?"

"Practice. Yai's told me that when you two were younger, you believed you could create hurricanes. I'd want to see someone other than the Avatar do that."

Jiao smiled now, "Okay."

"But not right this second. I will come back out with tea and I will start from the basics today."

Yai snickered and watched as her mother turned and walked back in to fetch tea for them all, "Good going dude. You almost broke her tornado, that's why she released it."

He rubbed the back of his head, "I guess so. And about the hurricane thing I told you I could just make the wind. I'd need a waterbender to actually make one!"

Yai shrugged, "That must have slipped my mind I guess."

Monk Kannin returned and handed Jiao and Yai tea, she took a cup herself and began to drink, "Ah. This is my favorite tea. Chamomile. It comes from a flower, did you know that?"

Jiao shook his head and went to drink some, then spitting it out, "Whoa lady this have anything in it to sweeten it!?"

Yai giggled, "I thought you'd have learned by now that my mom likes her tea straight." She sipped some herself, "And I'm my mother's daughter."

Jiao looked at the tea, deciding to give it a second chance and sipping it slowly.

Monk Kannin smiled, "This is your first lesson Jiao. Do you see how you were so easily able to forgive the cup of tea and give it a second chance?"

Jiao blinked, "Give it a second chance? What?"

Yai laughed, "Silly, you're drinking it right now even though you don't like it right?"

He nodded, clueless.

Monk Kannin explained, "Then you've given the tea a second chance. You must treat yourself like this cup of tea. Even though you have issues within yourself, just like the bitterness of the tea, you have to give yourself a second chance. You might like what you get after you forgive yourself."

Yai added, "You have to be able to forgive yourself in order to forgive anyone else."

Jiao nodded, sipping the tea, "Hey! This is really good! It's sweet now! How'd you do that?"

Monk Kannin laughed, "Everything turns from bitter to sweet after you forgive yourself."

Jiao nodded, "I get it now."

"That and I added a sweetener to yours that took extra time to dissipate. But I'm glad you understand my point."

Jiao nodded. _This is gonna be some strange…but really interesting training. This is nothing like Monk__ Eiji's training._

"When you kids are done with your tea, I will show you waterbending techniques from the North Pole that should help with both of your elements."

Yai and Jiao looked at each other, then at Monk Kannin excited, drinking their tea quickly and setting their cups down. "We're ready!"

She giggled at the children's eagerness, "I see that." Finishing her tea, she set her cup down and stood before them, "Well then let's begin."

*

"Jigako!"

"Demoska!"

He came, smothering her face with kisses as he released his seed into her.

Panting, she stayed as she was, sitting atop of his crotch, still linked with him bodily. Looking down at him, she ran her hands over his chest, smiling at him as her long hair fell over her shoulders.

He looked up at her, giving a final thrust up into her, before resting. Her hair falling onto his stomach, he reached to play with the strands.

She panted, "I know what our child's name will be Jigako."

He smiled, "What will it be?"

"Aang."

He froze, thinking about it and then realizing that the name was perfect. It immediately reminded him of his long passed mother in a way, but at the same time the name was not too feminine for a first born son, "Demoska…"

She froze, "Oh! You look sad. Is it the wrong name? I'm sorry. I'll come up with a better name and…"

"No Demoska…it's perfect." He sat up, pulling her body flatly against his and kissing her intensely, closing his eyes and licking along her lips for access to the inside. As it was granted, he slid his tongue into her mouth, set for exploration and conquest.

She closed her eyes and kissed back, holding onto him.

As their kiss parted he whispered against her, "I love you so much Demoska." He reached to place a hand on her stomach, "We'll work hard to create Aang. As long as it takes."

She nodded, resting her forehead against his, "I love you too."

***

In the present…everyone looked around at each other, blushing madly. Toph seemingly looking at the ceiling.

Katara blinked, "I can't believe everything I'm reading. It's so…detailed… and precise. All of the diaries! I feel like I'm invading Demoska's personal space by reading about her and Jigako's secret um…meetings."

Sokka muttered, "Aang your parents were like two rabaroo's in a cage!"

Toph smiled, "I like Yai. She sounds awesome. She learned earthbending from an airbender despite the challenges her teacher faced and then learned advanced earthbending from Avatar Roku. Then started teaching Jiao how to control his anger."

Zuko shook his head, "I get something now. Jigako and Jiao were identical twins. That's why Fire Lord Sozin couldn't understand why one of them came three years later to fight him. He thought the brothers were the same person and that the first brother came back from the dead. But in the end, he ended up killing them both."

Toph nodded, "Yeah, but which one fought him first and died? And which one fought him second?"

Aang looked to the diary in his hands, "This Monk Jigako…is my father. And the description in his diary of Nun Demoska matches the vision Avatar Roku showed me."

Katara agreed, "But there's still so many lose ends. I mean. The Fire Nation launched their very first attack in history on the Southern Air Temple and failed. I know they had to have more in stored for them."

Aang looked in the diary, "Well look. Right now we're in the part of their lives where everyone is in their teens. In my vision, my mother looked young, but she wasn't 16 years old. She was older than that. And I was born a long time before Sozin's comet came."

Katara sighed, "I've got some bad news Aang. I'm almost done reading. I think as the years go by, we're getting closer to finding out what happened to your mother and why you never knew her. I have the feeling that when this journal ends is when she died."

Aang blinked, "We're getting to the end of Jigako's diary too. Jiao's and Yai's are the longest and oldest. So does that mean they lived the longest?"

Sokka rubbed his chin, "There's something else that doesn't make sense. About your father Aang."

Everyone looked at Sokka with a quirked brow.

Katara huffed, "I think it's pretty clear that Monk Jigako is Aang's father. You heard the passion he had for Aang's mother in both of their diaries."

Sokka thought aloud, "Call me crazy Aang but I have the feeling that we're gonna find out something…shocking. It's just that the location of where Jiao's diary was bothers me."

Zuko nodded, "He found it in your teacher's study. It's kind of suspicious. Why would your teacher leave your father's diary in the library instead of in his own study?"

Aang thought to himself, "I don't know."

Sokka nodded, "That's just why I think something really unexpected is gonna happen. I mean yeah Jigako and Demoska really loved each other. We get that. But your teacher was around at the same time all of this was going on at the _same _temple. He had to have known and met all of them at some point in time. He'd want to keep to himself the diary that would mean the most to him and you after that person died."

Toph sighed, "Instead of trying to figure it out geniuses, why don't you guys just keep reading?"

Zuko nodded, "I agree. But we'll start by reading the shortest two diaries. Then I'll pick up with Jiao's and Sokka can continue Yai's, whose is thicker than a textbook, compared to the other diaries."

Everyone looked, comparing the diaries.

Katara nodded, "You're right. Yai's is definitely the longest of all of them. I think the shortest is Jigako's." She looked to Aang, "And then is Demoska's."

Aang nodded, "Let's keep reading guys…in the order from shortest to longest so that we don't miss a detail."

Everyone nodded, and sat listening as Aang continued in Jigako's diary first.


	7. Chapter 7: Omashu

***

16 year old Jigako stood before his father and watched his reaction to what he'd just exclaimed to him. Their father, Monk Jagu, was strict ever since his and Jiao's mother died. He'd been able to keep his intimacy with Nun Demoska a secret for two whole years. Not even his twin brother knew of it or suspected it in the least.

Even so, he was proud of Monk Jiao. Jiao had become a monk after they turned 15. Everyone that knew him came to his coronation and honored him. He had a new peace to him after training with Monk Kannin and Yai for an entire year as well as his training with Elder Monk Eiji. Though his training with Monk Eiji was over, he continued to train with Monk Kannin and Yai.

Jiao had a special guest who returned to watch him become a monk officially as well as Monk Gyatso, the newest and youngest Monk made an Elder, there.

Avatar Roku returned and Yai resumed her training with him during his stay. Though the day Avatar Roku arrived, he learned that a child at 15 was a prodigy becoming a Monk of the temple. Interested, he showed up in time to watch the entire occurrence. Jiao was shocked to see the Avatar with his friends and family to see him become a Monk.

It was a week since the twins turned 16. And Jigako was waiting for his father's approval.

Demoska never got pregnant from their actions at night going on the entire length of the two years that passed. They'd effectively covered their tracks and their secret place was still a secret between just the lovers.

Jigako came to his father ten minutes ago and told him that he'd found a lover, life partner, and mate in Nun Demoska.

At the same time, 18 year old Demoska was in front of her parents telling them she found a lover, life partner, and mate in Monk Jigako. Her parents, Nun Chigai and Monk Natu, immediately approved.

Jigako stood, still waiting for his father to say something.

Monk Jagu stood tall at 6 foot 7, looming over his son with his arms crossed, "You just turned 16 and you already state so clearly your intent. She's older than you."

Jigako stood tall and proud, "I know father."

"Her parents and I have allowed you a miniature less complex relationship for years. We let you two be around each other, trusting that nothing against tradition would happen between you two."

Jigako remained calm. So his father suspected that he'd already slept with Demoska before he turned 16? Demoska's parents wouldn't think anything of the sort. He said nothing.

Monk Jagu sighed, "I'm proud of you."

Jigako smiled, bowing, "Thank you."

He shook his head, "Nun Demoska's parents already agreed. I know they did. They'd have no problem with you two being together as mates. And well…the girl reminds me of your mother every time that I've met her. You have my approval."

He gave another bow, "You will not regret your decision father."

Elsewhere…

"Mother! Father! Thank you both so much!"

Nun Chigai smiled, hugging her daughter, "He's a very sweet boy. Kind and gentle as a breeze. I hope you both have much peace and love together."

Nun Demoska hugged both of her parents and then rushed out of the house, going to find her lover.

Monk Jigako left the house in a quickened stroll to tell Demoska the news.

They ran into each other halfway to the other's home.

Jigako smiled and held his arms out for Demoska to run into them. Hugging her closely and kissing her when she did, "My father said yes."

She hugged him tightly, "My parents said yes."

He chuckled, "We really are soul mates."

"Hey guys." Jiao and Yai strolled up to them.

Demoska turned to them, "It's so great! We can finally be together due to the traditions."

Jiao blinked, "You mean dad said yes?"

Jigako nodded, smiling widely.

Yai whistled, "Good for you guys."

Demoska kissed Jigako again, keeping her arms around him, "So what about you guys? You're both 16, I'll bet Monk Kannin and Monk Jagu would say yes to you two as well."

Jiao looked at Yai and then to Demoska while she was all over Jigako, "Well…"

Yai already knew Jiao would directly reject her. To save herself from hearing him saying it she cut him off, "Blah. Why would he want to date his teacher?" She laughed loudly, "And sparring partner." She nudged Jiao in his side roughly.

Jiao laughed nervously, rubbing where Yai nudged him, "I decided that if I wanna work to become an Elder Monk, I gotta stay single like them. Yai and Monk Kannin are helping me with my training."

"Wanna hear something really cool though?" Yai perked up, "My mom is gonna take another trip and we can all go with her!"

Jigako smiled, "I'm sorry but I can't. I'm needed to go with other monks on a trip to the Western Air Temple very soon."

Demoska smiled and nodded, "I have a lot of work to do here."

Yai pouted, "So not right guys. We all wanted to travel the world together. Oh well, least Jiao can come with me. Right Jiao?"

Jiao nodded, "Yeah I think it'd be pretty cool to go."

Jigako thought aloud, "But should you really be traveling with the Fire Nation threat? They attacked the Eastern Air Temple recently."

Demoska nodded, "It's a bit dangerous."

Yai nodded, "I agree but…we're taking a trip to Omashu. And…you know I can't pass that up. It's where my mom found me as a baby."

Demoska smiled at Yai, "That's wonderful! I guess I shouldn't really worry. Not with how great you've gotten at your earthbending thanks to the Avatar. And how great Jiao's gotten training with you all."

Jiao nodded, "I got her back in case any firebending jerks decide to try and ruin our trip."

Jigako smiled, "When are you guys leaving?"

Yai sighed, "Tomorrow afternoon."

The friends weren't too glad on the inside to be parting in like this. Though they'd have to deal with it since they would all see each other again.

*

Jigako wrapped an arm around Demoska and licked along her neck, whispering, "I'm leaving for the Western Air Temple tomorrow."

She shivered in glee, hugging him, "I know. Are they being attacked by the Fire Nation?"

He nodded, "They need help from their sister temples to keep their home. I'll be riding Gnaa there since it's the fastest way."

She nodded, "Remember our promise. Come home without a scratch. I'll be here to inspect you when you get back." Smiling she winked at him suggestively. "I can give you something to remember during your entire trip."

He gave her an innocent look, "Oh?"

She slid herself down before him, grabbing his pants and sliding them down while on her knees, reaching to grab her oral treat. Sliding her tongue over him before taking him into her mouth.

He tilted his head back, biting his lip to keep from moaning aloud, glad they'd gone to a remote location. It was definitely something he was going to think about during his trip.

*

Yai looked to her mother and then to Jiao, asking loudly, "Mom what's the real reason behind this trip?"

Monk Kannin straightened herself as they rode on her bison, "They've been sending people to the Earth Kingdom to warn them of the Fire Nation's uprising and menace to us. I know how much you've both wanted to travel the world so I had the choice to go to Omashu or with a select team to Ba Sing Sei. I chose Omashu and to bring the both of you with me."

Jiao nodded, "I knew it couldn't have been a vacation."

Yai wondered aloud, "Mom is Omashu under attack?"

"No, I don't believe so. That's why we are going to warn them. We will be going to see the king as soon as we arrive. It'll take a while, but we'll make it. Be prepared because we could be approached by firebenders at any time."

Jiao and Yai looked to each other and then dead ahead to gaze at the lands as they rode high above.

Jiao touched Yai's shoulder to reassure her, "We're too high to be under attack. Besides, you've always wanted to go to Omashu right? Remember you used to talk about it all the time when we were kids."

Yai nodded, instantly calmed, "You're right. Thanks Jiao."

They rode according to Monk Kannin's bison's endurance. Her bison was so used to traveling; they often found themselves sleeping at night while it seemed the bison went days without rest.

One day after reaching the Earth Kingdom continent, Yai woke up as she was leaning on Jiao. Poking his arm, she whispered, "I wonder what the others are doing."

Jiao shrugged, "Each other."

Yai widened her eyes, deciding to vouch for the couple, "How could you possibly know that?"

Jiao leaned against fur, "It's totally obvious. They've changed. Jigako is this other person when she's around. And she's always all over him. Since they announced themselves, they just have more places to be all over each other and they can make out with people watching now."

"Doesn't give you the right to assume."

"Yai, Jigako and I are twins. We have this unseen connection. When he feels something, in a way I feel it at the same time. Not exactly, but a certain emotion hits me. When it hits me out of nowhere and nothing around me caused it, I know it's what Jigako must be feeling."

"So what have you been feeling?" She looked to him curiously.

"Pleasure, happiness, and peace. I've been feeling it for years. I know they're not my own feelings, I can just tell. It's all Jigako feels. He wasn't even nervous when he announced their relationship to dad."

"So he's made the perfect peace you think?"

"I'd say he was born with enlightenment. But either way, whenever he sleeps with her, I know it because I get a twitch. It's like in a way I'm tapped into their bonding too much."

Yai was silent, "So you knew all along that they were sleeping together?"

"I knew for sure since last year. If they were before, I wouldn't have known, because I had my own troubles to deal with that were clouding me to the max. You helped get rid of those."

"I see. So when's the last time you felt that twitch?"

"A few days ago. They probably wanted one last time together before he left for the Western Air Temple." Jiao sighed.

"That's kind of a cool technique…"

"No it's not. When he left, he's been missing her like crazy and I've feel it too. So don't mind me if I seem down or anything. It's my link with Jigako shinning through."

Yai nodded, "I would like to be able to tell things about people like that anyway."

Jiao looked to her and then nuzzled his face onto the top of her head, "Being linked to Jigako, for most of the time, is a very peaceful thing though."

Yai closed her eyes. Being Jiao's best friend was really something she liked. Even though she wished she could be his girl still, he was very affectionate with her due to them being so close. He was comfortable walking around Yai almost nude and vice versa. They hung out together moreso than Jiao did with any of his guy friends. They played pranks together and played games. He taught her how to play Pai Sho, which she enjoyed so much. They trained together, relaxed and rested together. Jiao was moreso at her house than he spent at home.

She was Demoska's best friend first, but she knew her place. Demoska had everything she could ever want in her life in Jigako so she didn't feel an ounce of jealousy towards Demoska spending more time with him than her. She'd thought Demoska and Jigako being together sweet from the start, even if it started off with her supporting them for the wrong reasons. They were close girl friends and nothing would change that, even if Demoska was with the love of her life.

However, with Jiao she could be her usual tomboy self and at the same time still be a girl. He never minded and since he never showed any real attraction to her, they were comfortable around each other no matter the circumstances. Guys wanted to be with her of course, because she was developing into what her mother called 'A Princess of the Earth Kingdom in a strange land'. But Jiao always had her back when a guy got too persistent and wouldn't go away. She wasn't going to be anyone's mate, making the same declaration as Jiao. She wouldn't be mated until she found someone that she loved with all her heart. Right now, it was still a shame that after all these years, the one she loved with all her heart didn't notice and she wouldn't speak on it because of his pledge. So she enjoyed being close to him as his sisterly figure, the next best thing to being his girl.

They cuddled together while her mother wasn't looking. Yai breaking the silence that came over them, "Jiao…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll ever find anyone?"

He looked down to her, "You'll definitely find a wonderful mate one day."

"But what about you?"

He looked away, "I'm not meant to have a mate."

"Don't say that Jiao. You can be just as happy as Jigako if you gave someone else a chance. I know you can."

He looked back to her, suddenly remembering something from a long time ago, "Who would you suggest?"

She went silent immediately, fighting a blush with all her might.

"No one right? See?" He looked away again.

"Jiao, it's just that I…"

"Hm?"

She couldn't talk with him staring at her like that, "Nevermind."

They had an awkward silence between them until Jiao broke it, "Look Yai."

"No no…it's okay." She laughed, "I know that I'm just like you. If I had a chance of finding anyone to mate with, I'd bet it'd be a person from the Earth Kingdom. I don't like _**anyone**_ from the Southern Air Temple."

He blinked, "Oh…I see."

"Besides, why would I want to mate with an airbender? What kind of baby would come out? A waterbender? And then mommy pops out a firebender next just so we have all four elements in our special little family?"

His lips made a thin line, "Yai…"

She giggled, "I'm so tired of this. My mom says I get my stubbornness from being from the Earth Kingdom. I'll stay stubborn as a bull though. It's the way I am."

"More like prideful."

"You don't have the right to tell me that mister broody."

He narrowed his eyes, but decided to eat his words since he knew she was right about him either way. He shook his head to get the childhood memory of when they kissed out of his mind.

She pulled her knees to her chest and sighed, burying her face. She didn't mean to outburst like that, but she wasn't going to push it any further neither would she argue with Jiao. She was so tired of being Jiao's number two and of him being so oblivious. His affections confused her. She couldn't tell if he did certain things because he actually did like her or if that was just his way of being brotherly. "Jiao…"

"Yes?"

"Stop being so affectionate with me."

He quirked a brow, "Say what?"

She looked up at him, fighting tears, "We're best friends and as close as a brother and sister. It's just things you do sometimes throw me off! You don't sit around cuddling so close with your sister. You don't kiss your sister to calm her down when she's upset. You don't…you just don't…"

He calmed down, putting an arm around her, leaning her back against him, "Yai…we're just really close. Do you think that I can be with anyone else the way I am with you?"

She whispered under her breath so that he couldn't hear her, "But you don't love me…"

They got silent again, this time for an even longer period of time.

"Yai…"

She asked with a bad attitude clear in her voice, "What?"

He sighed, "You have feelings for me don't you?"

She went quiet.

"I take that as a yes. But you know how complicated it is."

"No…no Jiao it's not complicated. You just need to stop obsessing over a girl you can't have. Over my best friend. I still notice how you look at her. You put yourself in Jigako's shoes and imagine her all over you. The funny part is, I'm not even jealous of her at all that she's completely got the guy I love obsessed over her and she didn't even need to try!" She looked away.

He froze, processing her words, "Yai…did you just admit to loving me?"

She turned to look at him, finally letting go of all her built up frustration, she punched his chest hard, knowing full and well that she could hit as hard as any grown man, "Yes yes. I do you idiot! I love you! You know how long? Since I met you when we were friggin 10 years old! And you were so into Demoska-ville and still are that you never noticed or cared about how I felt at all! You've just been using me as your cushion and calling me your best friend. I can't take it anymore you jerk!" She kept punching him, her punch getting weaker each time until she finally gave up and leaned into his chest crying, "And the worst part is that you don't even love me back at all. That's how you act and that's how it's always seemed."

He was speechless. Rather than speaking, he grabbed Yai by her shoulders, getting her to look him in the eye. He leaned in and kissed her.

Yai froze for a second, not believing what was happening until finally she submitted and kissed back, bringing her arms around him.

When they parted, Jiao whispered into her lips, "Just give me time Yai."

She nodded, smiling and fighting back a sob of happiness.

He reached up and started wiping her tears away, "It explains a lot. I'm sorry that I didn't see it before."

She kissed him again just to make sure that he'd kiss back, satisfied that he did indeed return it. She sighed happily and went back to leaning against him like she was before, "Thank you Jiao."

"You're welcome Yai." He smiled. _A kiss to calm her down._

Monk Kannin couldn't help but overhear the conversation though she pretended to be concentrated on directing her bison. She smiled to herself, whispering, "My Yai is so in love." She knew without a doubt that when they came to her as a couple, she wouldn't hesitate to approve of them. Seeing them together as often as she had, she'd always thought to herself of how cute they looked together. She vowed she wouldn't intervene and would let them develop into mates naturally. Love after all was patient and kind to those who waited.

*

Yai looked around excited blinking, "Mom! This is amazing!"

Jiao looked around as well, not sure of what to say about Omashu. The place was certainly…huge! And everything looked made of a really fine stone. No wonder the city wasn't under attack by the Fire Nation! He was certainly impressed. Thinking back, he knew of how vital it was for Yai to be here. This was where her mother found her abandoned as a newborn baby.

Yai spun around once they'd gotten inside the walls. She looked everywhere, amazed at seeing earthbenders no matter what direction she looked.

Monk Kannin smiled at her daughter's excitement of being there, "Remember, we're here to see the King."

Jiao nodded, "Yeah." He reached and grabbed Yai's shoulder, smiling at how happy she was, "Don't forget we have an objective."

She waved her hand, "I know I know. But ooh look at the mailing system! Isn't that so neat!? And it's powered by earthbending! I wonder who invented that! It's so genius!"

Monk Kannin started walking with the earthbender escorts towards the royal palace, "Come along now."

Yai looked around, not seeing anyone who resembled her, but shrugging it off, "Jiao look everyone's barefoot." She giggled, "Just like me. They must all know about the great connection to the body and earth that mother talks about."

Jiao shrugged, "Possibly." He was amazed at the place, though kept in mind to keep up with following Monk Kannin. He grabbed Yai's hand as she was headed to talk to a group of people, "Sorry Yai, but we came here with a job to do." He pulled her in the direction her mother was going.

Coming to the palace, Yai calmed down and instead of focusing her excitement on the city, she focused on asking the earthbending guards with them questions. Lots and lots of questions. About Omashu, the people, earthbending.

The guards were getting annoyed at all her questions.

Jiao tugged Yai's sleeve, "Hey Yai I know you're excited but…"

"All rise for the King's arrival and that of the Air Nomad guests."

Yai closed her mouth and walked closely behind her mother, looking to Jiao.

He grabbed her hand and held it tightly, nodding to her for reassurance.

The King entered, looking to the Air Nomads.

Yai shuddered, the guy looked just plain old creepy.

The King rubbed his beard, "Why are there Air Nomads here in my kingdom?"

Monk Kannin gave the polite bow known to the Earth Kingdom, Yai and Jiao copying her, "It is an honor to meet you. I am Monk Kannin and I have come to speak directly to you of a threat that may stretch even into these very walls some day."

The King nodded, "And what threat is that monk?"

"The Fire Nation your liege. They have attacked not one, but all of our temples, trying to conquer over our land and people. Moreso trying to kill us all."

Yai froze, hearing her mother speak so precisely, loudly, and clearly. She held onto Jiao's hand tighter. Everyone was so busy worrying about love and talking about the Fire Nation so leisurely. But in all honestly, a nation had declared war on the Air Nomads for absolutely no reason. They were only trying to defend themselves.

The King nodded, "If my memory serves me right. Your people have no army. What is it that you want? Military assistance and formation?"

Monk Kannin bowed, "No my liege. We only came to warn you and your city to be alert for the Fire Nation. If they already are wreaking havoc in the skies, they will surely set their attentions back on the ground next."

The King widened his eyes, seriously considering her words, "Are you sure you don't need help? They're only attacking your people. Give them time and they'll come at your people with everything they've got."

Monk Kannin shook her head, "That is not for me personally to decide. We've been successfully defending our homes against them for years now."

The King nodded, "Even so…" he looked at the two teenagers behind her. The boy dressed in monk robes just as the intellectual woman he was speaking to. The girl dressed in different orange robes. Yet she didn't look like an Air Nomad, "Guards, escort the young people away. I want to speak to the monk in private."

Monk Kannin looked back, "Surely they can hear what it is you have to say as well. They may be young but they've both taken down Fire Nation soldiers by themselves fighting for their people. Anything concerning our people is just as important for them to hear."

The King waved for the guards to cease, "Fine." He looked to Kannin, "I want you to deliver a message to whoever sent you. The people of Omashu are strong and proud; the Fire Nation will not make it into our city, not on my watch as their King. If they dare to come this way, we will crush them. If your people need help, Omashu will provide it. Our city only provides so many homes for citizens if you want to hide, but we'd be best cutting to the chase and giving you a military and forces. If you want to hide any of your people, I'd suggest you go to Ba Sing Sei."

Monk Kannin nodded, "I'll be sure to tell that to our Elders. Is there anything else my liege?"

The King thought, "Tell me about the Fire Nation attacks. What sorts of strategies have they used to try and annihilate your people?"

Monk Kannin began from the first attack, to which she was there to defend their home.

*

Demoska sat, writing her in diary. How she missed Jigako so much while he was gone. He'd been gone for weeks. She had her own duties to attend to and spent her time helping a lot of people who needed console. She'd been so wrapped up in loving Jigako and knowing and believing that he always came to her, that she hadn't paid as much attention as she should have to their people being attacked. Now they were being killed. It was part of her duties to help those who lost loved ones. It worried her about Jigako, that possibly one day someone might intervene and break their promises to each other.

She remembered their promise clearly. That he would come back to her safe and sound, she would inspect his body for a single scratch. Hearing of the scorched bodies that were buried and not seeing any yet, she worried that she'd be checking him for sustained burns when he came back.

She shook her head, "He's going to come back just fine. I know it."

How in these hard times, she clearly wanted a baby. It would bring so much joy into her life. Jigako would have a reason to stay home as well. "At least for a while." She sighed, continuing to write.

How she loved him so much. He made her life complete, worth living. No one could ever take his place.

The other nuns sometimes made jokes when they didn't think she could hear about how her mate was younger than her. She paid them no mind. He had a mind far beyond that of the 16 year old he was. He was smart, funny, sincere in his every word, and turned her world upside down in the best ways.

She was staying inside the main temple, in quarters. Leaving her door open for anyone who might need her for anything as she was writing.

The Firebenders were getting stronger and smarter. She remembered how two years ago they weren't even capable of killing a single Air Nomad. Now they had a body count rising too often.

"Nun Demoska…there's something that you must see."

She turned, seeing her Master, and she stopped writing to follow her out. Keeping her hands to her sides, she followed silently.

Her master went to gather more nuns, "Demoska…I received a message yesterday that I should have told you sooner."

"Yes Master?"

"Your mate is doing extremely well at the Western Air Temple. The Elders have selected him as a candidate to become an Elder when he becomes of age. It seems he's surely as much of an airbending master as his teacher, Elder Monk Iagu. It's usually rare for a Monk who has a mate to become an Elder since being an Elder requires separation and detatchment, but he is so great that they've made an exception."

Demoska brightened up instantly, resisting the urge to clap her hands together in praise. She smiled widely, ignoring the nuns following who were looking at her in all sorts of ways, "Really!?"

"You should be proud of him. The Elders surely are. His skills in combat are something to behold I've been told."

Demoska had to fight back daydreaming about her lover to listen to whatever her master had to say.

"He'll be staying at the Western Air Temple longer. You aware of this correct?"

She nodded, knowing her master knew she was nodding.

"Good." She sighed, "I just didn't want you to get your hopes up too high. Girls, this is what I wanted you to witness. What you may see may disturb you." She stood before a different part towards the rear of the temple, reaching and opening a door.

Demoska's eyes widened in horror as she looked in at the victims getting medical treatment. These men and women were scorched to where some of them were unrecognizable. She couldn't tell if some of them had skin left. The only thing to distinguish skin from exposed muscle was where there were blue arrows.

Her master stood firmly, "I want you girls to help as many people as you can on the double. Go!"

All of the nuns rushed in to help the nuns already working. Demoska being amongst the last to go in. She had to get a grip of herself and go help whoever needed it. It seemed everyone around her needed help, she didn't know where to begin.

"Demoska! We need you over here!"

She rushed to where she was called, "Y-yes!"

Later back in her study she wrote vigorously.

The people that she helped she didn't think would live. But she shook her head, "Be hopeful for them Demoska, no matter how badly things seem!" She sighed, wishing that Yai was there so she could have someone other than a book and herself to talk to.

Thinking of all the victims, tears filled her eyes as she felt horrible for them, "We didn't do anything to them. Why all this violence? Jigako…please come back to me."

*

Jigako sighed, leaning against the wall as this was the only break he was going to get for a while. They'd fended off soldier after soldier and it seemed as if the firebenders retreated, but they couldn't be too sure. He looked up to the night sky, thinking of his lover, his heart aching from being apart from her for so long.

He thought of their intercourse before he'd left. She did an 'inspection' of his body before he left, exclaiming that it was necessary so she knew what to expect when he came back. He smiled to himself. She made everything humorous and funny in her own cute way. To him, their lovemaking kept them bound for eternity. There wasn't a single time where he didn't like their bonding or being with her for that matter. Their souls were so mingled by now that he swore he could sometimes feel the things she felt.

Earlier he felt shocked, concerned, and sorry for people, even their attackers. He watched as a fellow airbender was burned alive. Little did he know that at the same time Demoska was sent to an emergency infirmary to tend to a severely burned monk.

Looking at the sky, he thought about Jiao and Yai suddenly. He knew Monk Kannin was bringing them along to warn Omashu about this meaningless one sided feud. He hoped they reached no danger on their journey.

His thoughts went back to Demoska, and he closed his eyes as he traced his own hand over his chest, imaging that it was her touch. He stopped there, sighing. He didn't want anyone else that was up to see him, but at the same time he couldn't sleep. He was so used to sleeping with his lover by his side.

Looking around, he decided to go write in his journal to pass the time by.

He stared expressing just how much he truly missed her. She was the light in his life that shined brighter than even the sun itself. How he loved her so much.

He wanted a baby so badly. A son to be at home and raise. For their Aang to be a reality rather than just a dream. He didn't know why, with how many times they'd tried, that she hadn't gotten pregnant by him yet. He had hopes however that she would one day. The universe worked its own way; he'd submit to its time rather than have expectations on his own time.

As he was writing, a thought struck him and he wrote it with a wide grin. He wasn't very good at drawing, but he'd try to draw him, Demoska, and their baby.

Attempting to draw a quick doodle after his confession to bad drawing, he had to try to not laugh at himself. Smiling at his creation, he smoothed his hand over it wanting to show it to Demoska when he got back.

Another promise they made one another was that they'd read one another's diary one day. Just swap and read them. He had the feeling he'd like what he'd read from hers as she would enjoy his.

He leaned down, eyeing his little Demoska drawing and placing a small kiss on it as he ran his fingers over it slowly, then looking to his little Aang drawing and grinning, "I can't wait to meet you Aang. I know you'll come along soon enough."


	8. Chapter 8: Deception

*

Seeing her house again, Yai felt a surge of relief. She collapsed onto her bed and nuzzled her face into her pillow. Jiao was staying over at their house the night since his father was working in the main temple.

Feeling a hand gently running through her hair, she didn't need to look up to know that it was Jiao. She could distinguish his touch from anyone else's. Smiling into her pillow she turned her head to look at him, "What's up?"

He leaned down, kneeling in front of her bed and running his fingers through her hair admiringly, "You know you were always there for me Yai, no matter what. You stuck by my side, kept me calm, even helped me train and became my sparring partner."

She sighed, "All in my lifetime's work."

He leaned in, placing a kiss on her cheek, "Thank you Yai."

She turned on her side, reaching out to hug him and squeeze him close, "Anytime Jiao. I'm always here for you."

"Yai…" He crawled into her bed with her, hovering over her and looking down into her bright brown eyes.

She blushed, watching him as they were both fully clothed, though she could feel him sinking down slowly to be on top of her. She'd been with him as he worked out and knew his bodily structure by heart. Of course, there were a few parts of him that she'd never _really_ seen before. And right at that moment, she got downright curious. The most of him she'd seen was him with a towel on, "Jiao?"

He rested his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes intently. _She's always been so…pretty._ She was so different looking than anyone else in the Southern Air Temple. A rare flower in a strange location. Attractive was an understatement to this beautiful rose of the Earth Kingdom.

She blinked and blushed more when she felt Jiao press his hips into hers and tried to get her curious mind off what she felt pressing against her. No, she would focus on his eyes or the blue arrow on his forehead. It seemed to be pointing down at her for some reason, "Jiao?"

He laid on her completely, reaching and taking her hand, lacing their fingers together, "Mhm?"

She sighed in relief, knowing that they would just cuddle and wouldn't take things to any other steps. She thought of what he said on their way to Omashu, give him time, "I'll give you all the time you need. But remember that I'm waiting for you."

He smiled, sliding back to rest his head on her bosom, closing his eyes, "Okay."

_If he did want to bond our souls tonight…no…I'm not ready for that yet. I want to feel it all and be at peace before I do anything. And Jiao…I want him to be at true peace and have his mind made up about loving me._

*

Demoska waited longer. Her loneliness transcended everything else. Helping other people and working as a healer in its own odd way was keeping her spirits up. Seeing over the injured, she knew that none of them were Jigako and could be eased that it was never him that came in.

Most of the people she was taking care of hadn't even been in a battle. They were just by themselves traveling. Next thing they knew flames sprouted on their bison and while putting it out, they were ambushed by firebenders. These were innocent people who didn't even have the intent on fighting. Then again, that's how all of the Air Nomads were. They were a peaceful people. However they defended themselves when they needed to and the Fire Nation was forcing them to be defensive; all of the temples.

They were attacked a few times, but the Elders and a phenomenal Master airbender in particular, Monk Gyatso, defended them strongly. She remembered him from Monk Jiao's coronation and she remembered him being personal friends with the Avatar. She'd only run into him once and they had a very short conversation, but she'd remember it anyway.

She told him about her situation. How she was here yet her friends and mate were out in the world. Her mate at the Western Air Temple, her friends coming back from the Earth Kingdom. She missed them all, but knew they would all come back fine.

He liked her optimism and proclaimed that a person who had a distinct inner peace could hold onto optimism so strongly in midst of hard and trying times. She bowed to him and thanked him.

The conversation made her smile. Beforehand she worked and went around with a plain face, her worries often showing in her eyes. She decided from then on to bring her optimism into her healing. She was able to make some of the dying smile and laugh. She kissed the foreheads of the living, wishing in front of them that they heal and live long lives.

She had been walking alone when suddenly a voice stopped her.

"Hey girlie."

She turned around and ran to hug Yai close, "I've missed you so much! My goodness! You have to tell me all about your trip! Tell me about Omashu!" She rested her forehead on Yai's and placed each hand on the side of her head, rubbing her thumbs over her cheeks.

Yai sighed contently, "If you let go of my face first, I'll tell you all about it."

"Where's Jiao?"

"He had something to do for my mom. But he'll be here shortly."

The girls started walking and talking. Demoska listening to Yai's story about the awesome Earth Kingdom city, and about the creepy king. About things she'd learned the Fire Nation had been doing.

Demoska added onto it by talking about the things she'd witnessed and telling her the stories of some of the people she continuously worked on healing.

"So did you get any news about Jigako?"

Demoska sighed, "The last thing I heard was that he was fine, but that was almost two months ago."

Jiao came up to them from behind, "Well you'd better start recalculating."

Both girls turned around to object Jiao's seemingly negative comment, but froze and blinked when they saw Jiao wasn't alone. Jigako was standing there with him.

Demoska rubbed her eyes and then ran and embraced her lover, "I missed you so much!"

Jigako smiled, hugging her tightly, "I missed you too."

Jiao walked over to Yai, shrugging his shoulders, "Your mom had a special assignment for me." He tried to imitate Monk Kannin's voice, "Help your brother unload and get settled back in his true home. Then have some tea."

Yai giggled, "Sounds like her alright." She nudged him, "I'm proud of you."

He quirked a brow, "For what?"

She shook her head, giggling and then looked to the couple smiling, "I felt so bad for Demoska being here by herself. She missed him so bad I know she'd do anything to see him back here."

Jiao just watched them embracing silently.

The four walked, all telling their stories of where they'd been and what they'd seen and done.

Jiao and Yai started off with telling them about the great city of Omashu, then Demoska about her time and work. Jigako telling them about the Western Air Temple and being in battles.

"Oh, before I forget." Jigako reached into a traveling bag he'd had on his lap, "I want to show you something Demoska."

She lifted a brow, "Oh?"

Jigako pulled out his journal and flipped it open to the entry of his doodle, showing it for her to see.

Yai and Jiao leaned forward to get a look at it as well.

Yai giggled, "Wow Jigako, you really can't draw to save your life."

Jiao chuckled, "Looks like I _am _the creative brother."

Demoska waved them off, "I think it's sweet." She kissed Jigako's cheek, "I love your drawing."

Jigako blushed a little, smiling.

Yai yawned, "I didn't know you guys wanted a baby."

Jiao blinked, "Yeah, why'd you keep us out of the loop?"

Demoska blushed, "We've wanted one for the longest."

Yai nodded, "Oh wait. If you guys have a baby, then Jigako wouldn't be able to travel. He'd have to stay here after it's born to help you take care of it."

Jigako corrected, "Of him." He smiled, reaching and taking his lover's hand, "We want a son."

Jiao seemed distant as he asked, "I'm gonna be an uncle?"

Demoska smiled, "Well we're still trying, but yeah. Someday."

Jigako looked to his twin brother kindly, "We've already decided on a name for him."

Yai snickered, "And what if you get a girl?"

"Then we'll name her after our mother." He looked to Jiao.

Jiao looked back at his brother, putting a smile on his face, "In her honor huh?"

"In her honor."

The all went silent, into their own thoughts.

*

17 year old Jigako and Jiao smiled widely at 19 year old Demoska and 17 year old Yai.

Jigako wrapped his arms around Demoska's waist, holding her close to him seductively, whispering into her ear, "Are you ready?"

Demoska gulped, "Uh…Jigako…I know you wouldn't let anything happen to me my love but…but are you sure this is really…SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFE!" She shouted as they took off, her grasping onto her lover tightly, "Oh my goodness…oh my goodness…oh my goodness!"

Jiao took stance, "Alright Yai, hold on tight."

"I could have gotten my own glider." Yai huffed.

Jiao laughed, "You're too down to earth to want to air surf on your own! Hold on!" He ran ahead and jumped off the edge, Yai holding tightly onto the glider wings.

"WOO HOOOOOOO!"

Demoska started screaming, "How…how do you control this thing!?"

Jigako laughed, "Let the air currents take you. It's fun see?"

Demoska looked down towards the ground, which seemed to be very _very _far down. She decided to try and calm herself, trusting that her lover wouldn't let her fall. As she trusted both him and the wind, she started to laugh, "Oh Jigako this is wonderful!"

Jiao swooped near them on his glider, "All first time fliers please hold tightly and steady. Jigako let's do a dip!"

Jigako smiled and nodded.

Yai gulped, "What's a dip?" She screamed as they started going downwards vertically. It seemed almost like they were free falling. She forgot she was holding onto a glider's wings and ended up grasping them tighter instinctively.

Demoska began to laugh loudly, "You guys were right. This is fun!"

Jigako smiled, kissing Demoska's forehead, "This is something I love and always wanted to share with you. I'm glad I could."

Demoska nodded, "I'm glad we could do this before you went away again."

"I have to leave for the Eastern Air Temple tomorrow."

She laughed, "I'll definitely remember this. Always!"

He laughed, "It looks like Yai will too."

Jiao chuckled, "Yai why are you still scared? You don't have to hold onto the glider that tight."

She shouted, "Are you kidding me? I feel like I'm gonna fly off and fall you jerk!"

Demoska giggled, "Jigako, can we fly a bit lower than them?"

He obliged, looking at her as she started shifting herself in his hold, turning to face him. Closing her eyes, she kissed him sweetly, "Thank you."

He kissed back, "You're welcome." His eyes brightened even more as an idea came into his mind, "Demoska you trust me."

She nodded, "With my life."

Jigako laughed a little, "Then trust me when I believed that you're gonna love this."

She widened her eyes as he let go of the glider and they started free falling, "Jigako! Wha!? Are you crazy!? Without the glider!!"

He held her body close to his as they fell, hushing her with a reassuring deep kiss, "Trust me. Trust the element of our people. We will not be harmed."

Yai looked down, seeing Jigako and Demoska falling minus a glider, "Jiao! Look! We gotta help them!"

Jiao didn't go off his own course.

Yai started shaking the gliders wings, "Did you hear me!? We gotta help them!"

Jiao laughed, "He knows what he's doing Yai. Want me to show you?"

Yai gulped, watching them fall and shook her head, "N-no thanks. If he's got it under control then that's okay with me…"

"Good." He swooped them higher, the sunset shining its orange rays over them. "Yai I want you to do something for me."

"Yeah?"

"Look at the view." He smiled.

Yai looked and her mouth fell open.

"But keep your mouth closed in case there's a bug flying."

She shut her mouth, looking at the colors in the sky as well as the earth so far below, "It's so beautiful!"

"Isn't it? I wanna do this again, but next time we'll see the sun rise. It's a real sight to behold."

She felt the warmth of the sun's rays, enjoying the experience fully.

Jigako smiled, "Hold onto me tightly, love." He let go of Demoska as she clung onto him for dear life, the current carrying his glider back to him. He grabbed the handles and they swooped upwards.

Jiao looked over to them as the gliders were now next to one another, "When are we heading back in?"

Jigako thought, "After the sun sets."

Jiao nodded, "Cool with me."

Yai was mesmerized, looking at the sunset from up in the skies. It gave her the feeling that everything was going to be alright.

*

Demoska reached up, running her fingers over Jigako's head, then tracing to his face, "This time I think we did it."

Jigako smiled, kissing along her neck, "You believe so?"

Demoska smiled lovingly, "When you come back from the Eastern Air Temple, you'll come back to me carrying our baby. I have this feeling that we finally did it."

Basking in loving emotions, he pulled out of his lover and lay by her side, running his hand over her stomach, "I can't wait to get back." He kissed her lips, "I'll be gone for a really long time, you know that right?"

Demoska nodded, "All the more time for our baby to start growing in my belly." She giggled, "I'm really glad you took me gliding today."

He nuzzled her cheek, "I've always wanted to. I'm glad I finally was able to do it."

"It was fun. And I felt so…free."

He got an idea, something he grew experienced at over the years. Sitting up, he got back above her, sliding down and to where he wanted to be, "Another gift to you before I leave."

She got excited again, trying not to be too loud at the feel of him licking along the place that bound them a few minutes ago. Her cheeks turned bright red, "J-Jiga-ko…" No matter how many times he did this, it was always a surprise and one of the greatest sensations he could ever make her feel.

Taking a hold of her inner thighs, he smirked before delving in to feast.

*

Yai was training by herself late that night. She would always follow Avatar Roku's training instructions diligently, now to the point where she added her own creative twists to enhance and personify her skills.

Though he hadn't come back to see them in years, she knew she had to train, especially after hearing that the Fire Nation scaled another attack on the Eastern Air Temple.

She knew that when they had Jigako over there, the temple had lost people, but they fended off their attackers without fail. She knew that the Air Nomads, everyone, was starting to see her in a new light. Acknowledging her as more than just a Nun. The Elder Monks called for her, a citizen around the Air Nomads and among them, asking that she demonstrate her earthbending. She did, taking her time and keeping calm, not sure why now they would want to see it.

They applauded and afterward, explained to her that she shouldn't have been a nun. She should be helping the monks defend the temples. She accepted their apologies and their revoking her title as a Nun and noticed among them Monk Gyatso, who seemed very interested in the fact that all this time, they had an earthbender living amongst them.

Before she left, Monk Gyatso pulled her aside to have a word with her.

She remembered the conversation, every word.

It was his idea for Yai to lose her position as a nun and have her as an ally. As he explained to the other Elders, the Earth Kingdom was proud and strong and as they watched her demonstrations, he saw in her the pride of her people. He asked who trained her and when she spoke of her mother Monk Kannin and Avatar Roku, he smiled and nodded, explaining to her that he was one of Avatar Roku's closest friends.

He told her that he used to sit with Monk Kannin for tea quite often when she wasn't traveling around the world on her bison when they were younger.

He told her that she had more than the potential to be great. Using this to explain why being a temple Nun was not her destiny.

She smiled, saying of how she loved to train and fight.

Monk Gyatso laughed, "Temple Nuns are peaceful. They work with healing, caring, tendering, watching over people. Our people have tried to make you like us, but that is taking away from your blood born right. You have a peace in you as we do and you know all of our ways and customs, but you would eventually grow restless living as a nun because it stands against the true you. You love battle and confrontation. Our Monks have only fought the Fire Nation to defend our homes, but your element, earth, is hard, solid and head on, offensive. It is the opposite of air."

"So what is my destiny Monk Gyatso?"

"I cannot tell you your destiny because I do not know it. You have to find out for yourself. Only the universe knows where it wants you to be and when."

Yai smiled. She thought it a good thing that she was no longer a nun. Honestly, she didn't like the outfits too much. Dresses and skirts were so not her. While in Omashu the year before, they ran into a woman getting rid of her clothes. The woman was glad to give them to Yai. Since then, Yai no longer dressed like an Air Nomad, but wore clothes made in Ba Sing Sei. The woman from Omashu brought them from a fine shop a long time ago and never wore them, outgrowing them ultimately.

Green was Yai's favorite color among brown, badge; any color that could be seen on earth itself. The green for grass and plants.

Most of the outfits were pants with extra garment that hung from the waist down. She had only one dress, a green dress with gold designs on it of a tree and blowing flower petals in the wind. She told herself she wouldn't wear that dress until she had an occasion special enough for it.

That night as she trained, thinking about her own destiny, she was interrupted by a breeze. Knowing that it had to be made by an airbender, she looked up to see Jiao sitting on an air ball, looking down at her.

"Hey." She lowered her palms, lowering the earth she raised during her training.

"Hey." Ever since Yai started wearing the clothes of her own people, she stood out even more than she did before.

She wiped her sleeve over her forehead, "What's up? Where've you been all night?"

He looked up, "Ah around." He sighed, "Hey…you wanna go gliding again?"

Yai blinked, "Um…"

"This time we can see the sunrise instead of the sunset."

She nodded, "Okay…"

When they took off into the night, she wasn't as afraid as she had been the first time, even though she still had her discomfort to flying. Gripping the wings of the glider, she looked toward the east.

Jiao laughed, "Wait for it!"

She looked with interest then yawning, "It's early in the morning. Wake me up when the sun rises." She giggled.

Jiao chuckled, "No way. I'll pull a Jigako if you fall asleep. You have to see it from beginning to end. It's even more amazing than the sunset!"

She was about to protest, knowing that he meant he'd let the glider go, but a twinkle in the distance caught her attention. Looking over to it, she felt happy. Happier than ever as she watched the sun start rising in the east. The view was so beautiful. The light overcoming the darkness. Day dominating over the night.

After Jiao took her home, she sat up writing in her diary about the occurrence, smiling to herself.

_Whatever was wrong with Jiao, watching the sunrise with me calmed him down. I'm just glad that he's okay now._

*

Jiao sat, thinking to himself about how he still had feelings for Nun Demoska. Thinking of becoming an uncle, he narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't go his entire life without confronting Demoska and letting her know how he felt all this time. He may have found peace with his brother over the years, but that jealousy still lingered, it was merely dormant. He wasn't jealous at all about how people thought Jigako was the better brother since he was getting sent away all the time.

He counted on Jigako to get to the Eastern Air Temple on time. As he counted on him to get back home later than it actually took.

Demoska and Jigako never knew that for a long time, he'd been watching them. He'd been studying his brother. His movements, his countenance, his attitudes, what made him different even though they were twins. They looked alike in every single way. He looked in the mirror thinking to himself.

Watching Demoska and Jigako sometimes made him sick.

Most of the time he would just put himself in his brothers' shoes. It was fairly easy to imagine himself as Jigako.

At first, knowing they made love all the time was upsetting all on its own. But when he actually saw them the first time in their secret place, his world turned upside down.

_Demoska._ His hands became fists.

_Tonight will be the night…_

*

She'd been sitting in her and Jigako's secret place for a while, just watching the peaceful romantic scenery. Jigako had been away longer this time and she gave no sign of being pregnant, even though she was sure that this time she would definitely be carrying a child.

Hearing footsteps she widened her eyes in surprise. No one knew about this place all except one person. She turned, excited. She knew that Jigako would be returning soon, seeing him, she smiled, getting up and rushing to hug him as he hugged back, "Oh Jigako! You came back early!"

Jiao wore his clothes the way his brother did, walked like him, and even though they sounded eerily similar when they spoke with their differences, he'd perfected talking like him, hugging her, he smiled, "Yes…I came back early."

"Jigako, I have bad news." She sighed, "I'm not pregnant."

Jiao knew very well that for some reason, no matter how long they tried, they couldn't conceive. He himself was still a virgin. He tried to think of what Jigako would say.

Moving to face him, Demoska put her finger on Jiao's lips before he could say anything, "It's okay. We'll just try again Jigako." She kissed him, "You know I have to inspect your body for injury." She winked.

Jiao had to fight a blush. He had more than a fair idea of what an inspection meant. It meant that if he didn't tell her that he wasn't Jigako, he wasn't going to be a virgin anymore. He had to make the choice and seeing her looking at him with those eyes of hers, he made his choice, smiling wickedly on the inside, "I've been looking forward to this inspection Demoska."

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A/N: So it occurred to me that people can't precisely picture what everyone must look like. I mean, I made very little descriptions. So here's some fun facts about the characters:

- Demoska: In my mind, is a tall lanky girl standing about 5ft 9in [by the time she's 18] with the Air Nomad's tanned skin. Straight jet black hair down to her waist with bangs. Her eye color is Aang's and yes, she has the blue arrows, though due to not shaving her hair, her bangs cover the blue arrow on her forehead mostly. At first, I imagined her looking sort of like Rosette Christopher from Chrno Crusade, but changed my mind at the last minute. I wanted a unique black-haired beauty. [She's actually designed after my college roommate.] She was meant to be the dramatic, dainty, damsel, girly one. I love how she talks! It's a bit medieval in a way but very proper. I do hope that people like her, considering I wanted to create my own character and make her as non Katara-like personality wise as possible. I think that turned out very well. For the record, it's not that she's a freak or sex addict that she gets so many explicit scenes, it's just something she and Jigako constantly do to show their deep love for one another. It's respectful and honorable for love to bloom within the Air Nomads. They value love greatly [and depend on love in order for their race to keep going], but they don't think it appropriate for youths under 16 to start falling in love, let alone have sex, which was why Demoska and Jigako had to hide their true relationship due to Jigako being 'under age'. [It had to be awkward for them to be together around other people seeing as to how they're always wanting one another. Sexual tensions at dinner tables, hanging out, and during sleepovers much?] 16 is the '18' for the Air Nomads, this idea springing from the episode in which the Elders didn't want to tell Aang he was the Avatar until he was 16. You'd think that with monks and nuns all around, their '18' would be older ne?

- Yai: I didn't want to make her a Toph rip off, if you know what I mean. But I like how she came out. I personally am charmed by her. She's not totally masculine all the time and not as dainty and "Middle Ages" as Demoska. Rather, she's one dedicated girl isn't she? Pictures of an older Toph inspired her character. I actually was going to do this story about just Jigako, Jiao, and Demoska and came up with Yai at the last minute, but I'm very glad that I added her into the mix. People are probably wondering what her role could possibly be since its sort of obvious by now that Demoska is Aang's mother. Kukuku, you'll just have to wait and see. ;] As for her looks, she's very short compared to everyone else and always has been. At 17, she stands an even 5ft 6in and stops growing. She has dark brown hair down to her shoulder blades, rosy lips, and oblique light brown eyes. Her skin color is actually a few shades darker than that of the Air Nomads rather than lighter and yes, she has the blue arrows too but she gets them later than everyone else. Her body structure tends to have more curves than Demoska, who has the figure of a plank in comparison [figuratively speaking]. When she gets older, she's a bit busty at the chest with a C-cup. [No wonder Monk Gyatso revoked her Nun title? Just kidding.] Sounds like a beautiful rose of the Earth Kingdom no? It's only mentioned briefly, but she had a ton of suitors [monks and non-monks] at her doorstep wanting to be her mate, all of whom Jiao chased away.

- Jigako and Jiao both...look **exactly **like Aang. As Katara pointed out, Aang was the spitting image of the drawing Zuko discovered in chapter 1. [And no, writing the Jigako/Demoska scenes didn't give me mental images of our loveable little Avatar.] Though as they get older, the brothers will develop more differences. There's a deviantart picture that gave me the idea to come up with the brothers in the first place. A picture of future Aang by Windy-Asylum [http: //windy-asylum. deviantart. com /art/Avatar-Aang-94174816]. Take the spaces out of the link after you copy and paste and it can be viewed propery. I _love _her works! I came up with Jigako first out of everyone in this story from looking at this picture.

Please don't hate Jiao now. xD He's my favorite of the 4 friends in all honestly.

I love the concept of 'The Brothers'. They have their little brotherly moments together here and there that are just cute. And I wanted them to be opposites in personality but get along at the same time. Twins are rare in the Avatar world [we've only see 2 sets of twins. Lo and Li fron the Fire Nation and the twins in the episode The Fortuneteller] and I'd figure for some reason even more rare among the Air Nomads. For some reason in Avatar, twins and bending just don't seem to mix well. In 'The Fortuneteller' one twin can earthbend and the other can't. Lo and Li both can't firebend at all. So I wanted twins who could both bend and they be incredibly good at it. Don't worry, I've kept in mind that Monk Gyatso _was _known as the greatest airbender, so technically, the twins would be number two in skills under him by this point.

About Jigako being a candidate to become an elder [just to patch things up]. As Demoska's Master, Nun Mina, mentioned briefly, you can't become an Elder Monk and be sexually active. [In this story, a Monk becomes an Elder when they're between the ages of 60 and 80]. The Elders [including Monk Gyatso] are all virgins who gave up that part of life in order to properly detach themselves from the world. So why is Jigako so special? His personality is what interested them so much. He has a mind far beyond his age and this peaceful sereneness to him that attracts people. It's something Demoska loves about him especially. The boy has never felt angry in his life. The only negative feeling he's ever felt has been sadness; other than that, he's always peaceful. The Air Nomads live for peace, as it is the core of most of their teachings.

- Monk Kannin: This female monk I think, as I read over my story, is a cross between Avatar YangChen [in looks] and Iroh [in personality]. The woman loves her tea! And rather than Jasmine, she's a Chamomile fan. ;D I imagined her to look like the female monk statue that you see in the episode 'The Guru' as Aang unlocks the 'truth' chakra. Heck as a background I'll say that it IS a statue of Monk Kannin. [Nickelodeon don't sue me. o_o; I don't own that statue!] She may act like a nice elderly lady, but she's actually young herself. She found Yai as a newborn when she was 22 so at this point in the story, she's going into her early 40's.

- Monk Natu and Nun Chigai -- Demoska's parents. Aang's family tree, on both sides, consists of _incredibly _tall people. [Oh the irony!] As Aang's direct grandparents on his mother's side, they're both over 6 foot tall. =D Oh yes, it definitely means that Aang won't be shorter than Katara for very long.

- Monk Jagu and Aara -- Monk Jagu is Jigako and Jiao's father. And yes, even he towers over at 6ft 7in. Jigako and Jiao both stop getting taller at an even 6ft. His only real issue is that since Aara died, he'd become very strict on the boys when they're at home but at the same time gives them way too much personal space to leave and do as they like. He's not a neglectful father at all, rather he loves his sons very much. His strictness is just shown through overprotectivenss to the point where Jiao prefers to be everywhere else but home most of the time. Aara, Jigako and Jiao's mother, was the only one who wasn't very tall. In fact, she was 4ft 11in. She'd have to look up to see her lover. She died in an accident when the twins were 4, so they both remember her for who she was slightly.

- Yes, everyone and I mean _everyone _in this story is a vegetarian. Except Katara, Toph, Zuko, Mai, and Sokka. xD Plus Zuko's random generic palace servants. [Avatar Roku and Sozin too, if you want to get techinical. They like their fillet mingon for dinner too.]

- How do the Air Nomads get the blue arrows on their skin? -- Heck even I can't come up with an answer for that. I mean I don't think they're tatoos. That'd just be incredibly...painful if they were! ._.; Plus I can't imagine Air Nomad tatoo artists at every temple. [xD] They're some kind of permanent skin paint in my opinion put on them as children that seems to grow, adapt, and stretch as the body grows.

Okay I've gone on long enough. ;3 But I hope these fun facts cleared up anything that may have been confusing.

Chao till the next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9: The Journey to Forgiveness

A/N: My apologies for that really long description at the end of the previous chapter. I got a little too excited adding it in at the last minute. Anyway, yes....drama. And there's angst. Lots of AAAANGST. Haha, get it? Aangst. I'm so clever. [Joking]

Even I can't believe the amount of cheesy lines there must be in here. xDD What was I thinking? Was I on cactus juice? Most likely...

Anywho, enjoy this chapter. =]

I'm feeling very generous for Easter.

Read and review. The countdown to Aang's birth has truly begun.

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*

There was a knock on her bedroom window after she came in from training, clothed in light brown pants and wearing bandage wrappings to cover from her chest to upper abdomen. Sweating, she sighed, opening her window for Jiao, "You know, you could start using the front door. My mom knows you come here at night and we hang out. She's known it for years."

"Yai…I made a terrible mistake…"

She looked to his expression and opened her arms to him, "There there Jiao. What's wrong? You can tell me."

He shook his head, not coming towards her, "When I tell you, you won't even want to touch me Yai. But I have to tell someone."

She shook her head, seeing him shaking, "I won't get upset. Now tell me what happened."

"I…" he looked down in shame, "I pretended to be Jigako and I slept with Demoska."

Yai froze, looking at him, "D-did what now?"

"I had to keep pretending to be Jigako because she wouldn't let me out of her sight! The only way I got here was to get her to sleep."

"Where is she?"

"At her place in the temple."

Of all the things for Jiao to have told her, something inside of her instantly snapped. "You…I've been waiting for you all these years and you knew it all along…yet you still…did that to her. MONK MORON! Jigako is going to be back tomorrow morning! How could you trick Demoska like that!? How…how could you do this to us all!?"

"Yai please…"

"I don't wanna hear that you feel bad now! You weren't feeling bad when you were screwing my best friend!"

"Yai!"

She made fists, "How could you!? You're disgusting! You'd always been obsessing over her since we were kids! You tricked me! You made me think that you were over her! You made me think that all I had to do was wait and then we would be together!" She raised a fist and opened it speedily, the dirt on her hands becoming needles. She flung them at him one at a time, "Get out! Get out right now!"

He raised a hand to block the needles from coming at his face, his hand getting impaled instead. He winced, "Y-Yai!"

"I said get out!" She narrowed her eyes viciously.

"Are you going to tell them what I did?"

"No! That's your responsibility. I'm leaving the Southern Air Temple. I was trying to decide whether I wanted to travel the world like my mother. And now I see that it certainly isn't my destiny to stay here."

"Yai…" he shut his mouth when the next needle flew towards him.

"Don't you speak my name! Listen. Demoska is my best friend. But she wasn't what was keeping me here. It was you. You betrayed us, your closest friends, your best friends, and your own brother. I hope that you own up to your mistakes someday. I just won't be here when you do. Now get out of my house right now!"

He turned, fleeing as she was striking those earth needles with deadly precision and accuracy. He could have defended himself, but he felt that he deserved what he'd gotten from Yai.

Sitting on the roof of his own house, he knew he had to talk to Jigako. He didn't know Jigako was coming back the next day. How could Yai have known that? _Monk Kannin._ She knew through her mother of when people were coming back and when they were leaving.

He had to think. Demoska was at her new home sleeping peacefully, thinking that she made love to her mate, when in reality, that was far from the truth. He thought of the intercourse, feeling vile and dirty. He'd gotten what he wanted, he was in Jigako's shoes, but afterwards, it felt so wrong and he felt guilty. He knew Yai wanted him to tell the truth, but he couldn't risk losing his brother's trust and Demoska's friendship. He'd lost Yai entirely. She wasn't just not speaking to him again, she was leaving the Southern Air Temple for good.

He'd made the biggest mistake of his life.

*

Jiao came to help Jigako unload his things, taking a deep breath as he was going to talk to him before he went to go see Demoska, "Hey Jigako."

"Yes?"

"There's something I have to tell you." He looked away, then down at the ground.

"You seem disappointed in yourself Jiao. What's wrong?"

"I…well you see I…Yai left the Southern Air Temple to travel the world earlier this morning. Monk Kannin took her but her mom's coming back without her."

Jigako smiled, "You really do love her don't you?"

Jiao went silent, thinking about it, "Well I…"

Jigako laughed a little, "It's all over your face. I know you must not have wanted her to go but have faith that she will come back one day, wanting to be with you."

"I don't think so."

"If you're meant to be together, the universe will allow it. You just have to keep your hope and believe. It brings me to Demoska every time."

"Demoska might be pregnant!"

"Well then let's hurry to her then!"

Jiao sighed, he couldn't tell him, but he was able to tell him something that would distract from anything that she might say had happened recently. They could be the normal couple that they were without knowing about his obstruction and betrayal between them. The only other person who knew was gone. Even so, he had to start thinking on what Jigako was saying. Now that Yai was gone, life was crashing down and becoming a lonely thing.

When Jigako saw Demoska, he quickly rushed up to her and embraced her, "I'm sorry."

She quirked a brow, "For what Jigako? You haven't done anything wrong my love."

Jiao was watching them from a distance, glad that he suggested all of Jigako's things be put back before he went to see her.

Jigako nuzzled into her hair, "For not being here soon enough."

She sighed, thinking to herself of how boys will be boys, "Come with me to our secret place tonight."

He nodded in agreement.

As Jiao watched them kiss this time, he felt more pangs of guilt, though was able to suppress them from coming to the surface.

Laying down at night all Jiao could think about was Yai.

*

She hugged her mother, "I'm happy that you're supporting my choice."

Monk Kannin hugged her daughter tightly, "You're following in my footsteps alright. Here, I want you to have this."

Yai blinked, "Mom, your glider?"

"It will enable you to travel faster than you would on foot. I know you know very well how to use one. And if you ever want to come home…you aren't an airbender but I know the wind will bring you home."

"Thanks mom." She hugged her tighter. She knew she'd have to make this journey on her own. On her back was a bag of the belongings that she would need. She had with her Air Nomad monk clothes besides the clothes from Ba Sing Sei. She also brought her dress with her.

"I know that you'll be safe."

"I will mom."

"Here sweetheart…"

Yai blinked, "Mom you're giving me your favorite tea?"

Monk Kannin nodded, "I want you to have it. Never forget where you come from Yai. And never forget to forgive."

Yai looked up to her mother questioningly, "Mom how did you know?"

Monk Kannin shook her head, "I don't know what happened between you and Jiao, but remember everything that I've taught you and your training. A mother knows when her daughter is in love."

At first, she wanted to tell her mother what he'd done, but decided against it, "Okay." She bowed to her mother, "Goodbye. I promise that I will come back someday."

Monk Kannin bowed back to her adopted daughter, then walking back over to her bison, "Don't run a complete muck in the Earth Kingdom alright? And do not just focus on one style of living. If you really want to travel the world, you will also go to the water tribes and see the Fire Nation."

Yai widened her eyes, "But mom! The Fire Nation is dangerous! They're the ones that keep attacking us!"

Monk Kannin sighed, "Please do not be biased against the Fire Nation. It is the ruler who is at fault. Not every individual is a horrible person. Jiao is not the only one you will learn to forgive on your journey." And with that, her bison took off.

Yai looked up after her mother, not moving until she couldn't see the bison anymore, "Well I guess that I can use the glider as a walking stick for now." She started walking, thinking of how it was Jiao who taught her how to fly one and took her sky gliding more than once. She then thought of when he took her to see the sunset. Looking up into the sky, she admired the sun, "It was a beautiful sight, seeing you from up there mister son."

She'd brought her diary with her just to have a place to put her thoughts on the entire journey. She'd go back and read the things she'd written previously as well as write tons of new entries about her adventures as a wandering traveler. She saw a hill and ran up to it, then looking with wide eyes, "Mom…thank you so much…!"

She was staring at the outer wall of Ba Sing Sei.

*

Running up to Jigako on her 20th birthday, she exclaimed, jumping into his arms, "I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant! It's been confirmed! It's why I've been so sick!"

Jigako widened his eyes, catching her when she jumped into him, and then smiling widely, "We're going to be parents!" He raised her up and spun her around, then letting her feet touch the ground; he hugged her tightly, kissing her passionately.

"I love you so much! This is the best thing I could have ever heard on my birthday nonetheless!"

"I love you too." He felt so relieved, "I'm going to be a father." 18 year old Jigako kissed her over and over, then reaching and rubbing her stomach, "We finally did it."

Demoska blushed, "It was our secret place. The shooting star after we made love."

He thought back to when he was 17 a month ago, coming back from the Eastern Air Temple on Gnaa. The night he got back, they'd gone to their secret place and had unleashed all of their passions to one another. They'd been going at it for hours if he remembered precisely. There was not a day that he wasn't by her side afterwords. They were living together in her quarters in the main temple since.

To him, Jiao was right after all. She was indeed pregnant. They'd found that out from Demoska continuously getting sick after their night of passion. He didn't like seeing her feeling ill, but he knew she would be okay.

A few weeks after their night, she'd been bed-ridden and other nuns had come to tend to her closely in her quarters. The nuns suspected that she might be pregnant, but it was hard to tell.

Demoska's 20th birthday was a few more weeks afterwords. He watched her stomach closely to check and see if she'd gotten any bigger, but she didn't.

They asked Monk Gyatso if he could get his friend The Guru to be able to tell. The Guru arrived on her birthday and went to see if she was indeed carrying a life. And she was. The Guru could feel Aang's presence, feel his chakra's as they were beginning to come into existence. He told her the baby would be the healthiest, brightest thing.

Though none of them knew she was carrying the next Avatar. It was too early to tell.

Avatar Roku was at home peacefully with his wife. He was the only thing stopping Fire Lord Sozin from going and attacking the Air Nomads himself. Attacking them for years and failing, Sozin knew he had to get rid of the Avatar first. The next Avatar would be born within the Air Nomads, giving him more of an incentive to wipe them off the face of the planet.

Back at the Southern Air Temple, Jiao's deceit was never discovered and he lived each day regretting, not being able to forgive himself. He knew that the baby might not be Jigako's, but either way, he was glad to see them so happy from a distance. It was going to be a long nine months.

Jigako's and Jiao's father died after finding out he would have a grandson.

Monk Kannin wondered about her daughter, missing her every day, hoping that she'd found teachers and was progressing in her journey to learn how to forgive. In the meantime, she took Jiao into her home even though he was 18 and could live in the main temple. He was like a son to her, and she trained him more to fill in the void of her daughter being gone.

Living with Monk Kannin, Jiao grew to miss Yai even more. He realized that without her, his life wasn't complete. Having serious one on one talks with Monk Kannin helped him realize her feelings and his own feelings for her that he'd been denying. His obsession with Demoska was over for good. Getting what he wanted he believed wasn't worth all the hurt he'd caused.

Fixing Jiao a cup of tea after performing firebending stances, Monk Kannin sat down, "Yai had to go on a journey to find herself. Her anger and frustration wasn't just about you Monk Jiao."

He sipped his tea, "It surely seemed like it."

She shook her head, "Things are not always as they seem. I told her that when she was out there in the world, she should go visit the Fire Nation."

He almost choked on the tea, "WHAT!?"

Monk Kannin laughed, "She had the same reaction. But it's to teach her a great lesson in life. Just because Fire Nation soldiers have been attacking us, doesn't make everyone in the Fire Nation a bad person. I know that when she does go there, she will be very careful. You have to learn like she will about forgiveness."

"Monk Kannin, I'm going to be an uncle."

"That's wonderful Jiao. You know, you and Yai have so many things in common and you've been here so much that it seems as if I've raised two children instead of one."

Jiao smiled a little.

Monk Kannin smiled, "Now…that's more like it. Ever since you came here to live with me, you've been happy again. I haven't seen you smile for a very long time."

He took another sip, "Well it's because of the mistakes I've made…"

She sighed, "Listen. We are not born perfect. The universe knows this, but it is everywhere around us anyway. If we were not meant to live, move on, and be happy then what is the point of life and love?"

He thought on this.

"Monk Jiao, love is life and life is love. When you find the true meaning of this phrase, I will teach you the truth about the world and the four nations that I discovered during my travels around the world in the past. I didn't teach this to Yai because she is not an Air Nomad. She is from the Earth Kingdom, therefore, she is the kind of person who must go, see, and experience for oneself. The world will teach her this great secret."

Jiao nodded, thinking on the things that she said, finishing his tea, "Thank you Monk Kannin."

Monk Kannin smiled, "No matter what you have done, it doesn't change that you've always been such a sweet boy. You do have the same peace that your brother has. You just need to tap into it. You will when you discover that love is life itself."

"You're right Monk Kannin."

"Now Monk Jiao, we will resume your training."

"I have a question that I've always wanted to ask you Monk Kannin."

"What is that my dear?"

"Why did you study the fighting stances and things from other nations? Was it just a hobby? We're Air Nomads, not Avatars. Why do we train using water, earth, and firebending techniques when we can only produce wind?"

"It is all within the secret about the four nations and elements that you will come to learn. Now come, we will practice firebending stances again."

He stood up, following Monk Kannin out to resume his training for that day.

*

Jigako bowed to the Elder Monks, then leaving as he was dismissed. He had to speak to both Demoska and Jiao immediately.

Arriving at the place Demoska and he shared, he saw her sitting and eating while writing in her diary. He came up behind her, embracing her and rubbing his palm over her large belly, kissing the side of her face, "How are you feeling?"

Demoska leaned back into his embrace, "I feel great. He's been kicking. I can feel it."

"Demoska, I need to tell you something."

"What is it Jigako?"

He paused for a moment, "The baby is due soon, I know, but I'm needed at the Western Air Temple."

Demoska pouted, turning around, "Are you serious?"

He kissed her, "I promise that I'll be back before the baby comes." He hugged her gently, then kneeling and kissing her stomach, "Hear that Aang? I'll be back to see your little face for the first time."

"But what if…?"

He stood, placing each hand on a side of her face, his eyes gazing intently into hers, "Do not worry. I've always come back every time. Now is no different."

Demoska nodded, immediately letting go of her worry, "Yes…yes you will Jigako. You'll come back to me and Aang."

"I want Jiao to watch over you closely while I'm gone."

She nodded, kissing him again, "Go on and tell Jiao that you'll be leaving soon."

He nodded, kissing her before he left to Monk Kannin's home to find Jiao.

*

Monk Kannin opened the door, seeing Jigako and smiled politely, "Why hello. Are you here to speak to Monk Jiao?"

Jigako nodded, "Yes Monk Kannin."

She moved to let him inside, seeing as to how he seemed in a bit of a rush, "Monk Jiao, Monk Jigako is here to see you."

Jiao came in from the back, seeing Jigako giving him a worrying look, "What's wrong Jigako?"

Jigako shook his head, knowing that anything he can say to Jiao he can say in front of Monk Kannin. She was like the mother he didn't have, "I'm leaving for the Western Air Temple in a few hours. They want me to arrive as soon as I can. I need you to watch Demoska closely while I'm gone."

Jiao blinked, "Her baby is due next month…"

"That's why Jiao." He nodded to himself, "I need you to make sure that she's alright the entire time. I hope to return before the baby is born."

Jiao looked to Monk Kannin, who nodded. He looked back to Jigako and bowed to him, "Of course I will look after her."

Jigako smiled, relieved, bringing Jiao into a tight embrace, "Thank you brother."

Jiao hugged back, "Any time Jigako. I'm excited about becoming an uncle myself."

Jigako nodded.

Monk Kannin smiled as she watched the brothers hug. She knew that Jiao had been working hard to learn how to forgive himself for what he'd done. She still didn't know specifically what he did, but to her it didn't matter. Anything was forgivable just like everything happened for a reason.

This baby meant a lot them all right now. The baby gave her a sense of hope. She hoped that Yai was sharing the feelings of hope wherever she was at the moment. The brothers were closer than ever due to this baby. Nun Demoska's parents were so happy for their daughter and were already creating garments for the baby to wear. She knew that the twin's father would have been so happy and hopeful as well. It seemed everyone on the Southern Air Temple was excited and knew of this child coming.

She left the brothers alone and sat down to write a letter to Yai. Letting her know about Nun Demoska's pregnancy and the hope the baby was giving everyone. How Monk Jiao became a new man ever since she left and how much he loved her and missed her. She missed her daughter as well, coming to a stand after finishing her letter and leaving the house in Jiao's care.

She went to where she knew her bison was and attached her letter to the bison's horn, "Sweetheart, I want you to take this letter to Yai." She reached, petting her bison's nose, "You will remember her. Now you are not to leave her side, you're gonna be the one to bring her back you hear?" She reached to ruffle her bison's fur lovingly, "Now off with you. Go deliver this for me."

Monk Kannin's bison took flight, leaving the Southern Air Temple.


	10. Chapter 10: The Birth and Sorrows

***

In the present everyone looked at one another as Katara read the very last entry in Demoska's diary. Talking about how Jigako left for the Western Air Temple and how Jiao was looking after her. How she wanted to ask Jiao a question curiously.

"I'm going to ask Jiao when he comes in to check on me." Katara looked up after closing the diary, "That's the end of it."

Aang looked, "I have just three entries left for Jigako all scrunched up on the last page."

Zuko nodded, "Aang, we're gonna find out what happened to your mother in Jiao's diary since he was the one looking after her."

Toph spoke up, "Well what do Jigako's last three entries say?"

Aang began, "I haven't been at the Western Air Temple long, but they needed my help desperately. When I came, I gave them a sense of hope. They were losing against the firebenders for the first time. There were so many injuries that there were only a few of us who were left with our full health. But this is fine, we'll turn the tide.

The next entry says: I got a letter from Jiao today saying there was something he needed to talk to me about. It sounded urgent, but I can't leave just yet. We've defended our home well. I'm injured. A burn on my upper left arm, but I'll be okay. It hurts as I'm writing though. Demoska will be a little upset, but I look forward to being healed and making it back to her." Aang looked up, "The last entry is close to my birthday."

Everyone nodded.

Katara urged, "Go on Aang. What does the very last entry say?"

Aang read, "I don't believe it. I'd traveled with others to get here but my own bison showed up today with another note from Jiao saying that Demoska was in a lot of pain. He believed that she'd go into labor at any moment. The nuns of the Southern Air Temple think the same. We've defended this temple and I know it's dangerous to be traveling, but I have to make it back home to see her. I leave in one hour. It saddens me to know that I'll probably get there after Aang is born, but I can look forward to looking at my son for the first time." Aang set the diary down and rubbed his watering eyes, "That's really sad…"

Everyone had a moment of silence.

Zuko read ahead a bit in Jiao's diary, "He left and never made it back. That's why you never met Monk Jigako."

Toph realized, "After he left to get to you…that's when he had to have run into Fire Lord Sozin."

Zuko agreed, "And Sozin killed him."

Sokka waved a hand, "You're all ignoring the most important part, Jigako isn't Aang's father, he was really his uncle. And guys, a lot of things that happened confirm it."

Katara thought, "Jiao tricked Demoska into having an affair, but no one's actually said he is Aang's father. There was still a chance he was still Jigako's."

Zuko sighed, "No Jiao does in his next entry. He talked with Demoska before she went into a state of extreme pain. I'll read it in a second, but first I want to point out that Jiao's diary is coming to an end as well, and then all we'll have left to read is Yai's."

Everyone nodded once more.

Katara looked at Aang, "This is really…sad. But Zuko, how long do we have left in Jiao's diary?"

Zuko held the book up, "Looks like he's got a few years left before he met his end too. I'd say about three years before he fought my great-grandfather. Remember Sozin thought they were the same person when Jiao came to fight him but he was surprised because he acted differently. I think that since the brothers acted oppositely, they approached Sozin oppositely too. I think Jigako was defensive, trying to escape with every chance he got so he could go see Aang. Jiao came and hunted him down, fighting offensively, looking to end him."

Toph sighed, "I think the person used to distract Jiao in battle is Yai. I just have this feeling. I mean, I know that she had to come back. I'm curious to know when she ever got the letter from her mom."

Katara nodded, "Still, none of this says why Demoska died or how. That's still a mystery. Maybe Jiao's diary will explain that." She reached, taking Aang's hand, "Are you okay?"

Aang nodded, "I want to know. But I find something kind of funny. They all met Monk Gyatso."

Katara nodded again, smiling this time, "Okay Zuko, go ahead."

Zuko looked down to the entry in Jiao's diary and continued.

***

Jiao smiled at Demoska, nodding, "There wasn't any way that I couldn't agree to watch over you when Jigako asked me to."

Demoska sighed, "I wish Yai was here too. She doesn't even know about this baby at all."

Jiao sighed, "Well that may not be true in a while."

Demoska brightened up, "What do you mean?"

"A few days ago, I saw Monk Kannin attaching a note to her bison and sending her off, saying to not come back without Yai."

Demoska perked, smiling widely, "So you think Yai's coming back soon!?"

He nodded, "I believe she will come back the instant she reads that letter."

Demoska nodded, "Jiao, there's something I need to ask you."

Jiao nodded again, "Of course."

She looked away, her smile fading, "Aang is becoming a reality and I'm happy, but there's something odd about all this."

"What's that?"

"Well, I'm sitting here 20 years old. Jigako and I had been trying a have a baby for 4 years and suddenly it happens for us."

"What's odd about that?"

"Well Jigako's always believed that it's the universe's own time making things happen for us. But I remember there was a time we made love and he seemed really different."

Jiao blinked, knowing full and well what she was talking about.

"Jiao, I want you to answer me honestly."

"Yes?" He bit his lip.

"This isn't Jigako's baby is it?"

Jiao went silent.

"Jiao…I forgive you."

He looked up, eyes wide, "But how can you? This was something between you two and I came in and…"

Demoska raised her hand to silence him, "You're not the same as you were when you did it and that was because of Yai packing her things and leaving the Southern Air Temple. I'm happy that you finally realized how much she really loved you. I believe she still loves you matter of factly. That and well…Jigako's always told me that things happen for a reason. He told me that when I told him the ghastly stories of when I worked as a healer. It's just that, Jiao, if it weren't for your act of selfishness back then, there would be no Aang being born in a month."

He stared at her incredulously.

"I believe every word Jigako says because I trust him the most. He has no idea of this and I was never sure, until I asked him one day when exactly he got home from that trip to the Eastern Air Temple."

"So you knew and have always known?"

She shook her head, "I had a strange hint about that day. I'd been sleeping with Jigako since I was 16 and he was 14. I know full and well what he's like when he's making love to me. I was blinded and clouded by doubt when it suddenly hit me of just how different that one experience was. I asked Jigako a while before he left again you see." She looked to him sadly, "At first I was outraged, but only for a short time. I realized that even though you never admitted to it, you gave us something we've always wanted. And there was something else that hit me too."

"What?"

"I realized that you had to be suffering so much with the guilt of what you've done. And I know that you had to heave an unhealthy amount of regret while pretending to be normal. It's why Yai left isn't it? You told her about it and she couldn't handle it?"

Jiao nodded, speechless.

"Jiao." She laughed a little, "Honestly, it's my body. I know what happens to it better than anyone else. Yai is my best friend too. I've known that she had feelings for you ever since she first looked at you. I know she wouldn't be able to handle hearing that you had a relation with anyone else." She sighed, "I forgive you and I know that Jigako will forgive you too. My mate deserves to know the truth. I will not keep him in the dark of a son that is truly not his. I _will _tell him when he gets back."

"I wouldn't blame you."

"I pray that Yai was able to forgive you as well. I still believe that you two were meant for each other. You two still have a chance." She smiled again.

Jiao bowed to Demoska, keeping his head down, "Thank you so much for finding it in your heart to forgive me."

"Thank you for making Jigako's and my happiness and bond transcend anything else in this world."

He laughed a little, "It's a little odd that you're forgiving me and thanking me for tricking you."

She nodded, "It is strange, but I'm not thanking you for tricking me. I'm thanking you for Aang's sake."

"I'm glad we had this talk Demoska. Monk Kannin's always taught me that I have to forgive myself."

"Monk Kannin is such a wise woman. I'm so happy that she is Yai's mother. That's how I know that Yai still loves you and will forgive you. She may not be an Air Nomad, but she takes after her mother. The stubbornness and inability to forgive at first was her Earth Kingdom heritage clashing with living here with us. She is not able to properly detach herself from worldly matters yet."

"She actually used dirt on her hands to create very sharp needles to hurl at me. Pierced my skin in seconds."

Demoska quirked a brow, "Oh my…she's very resourceful, she's thinking like an earthbending Master, even if she did it while she was angry at you."

A thought came to him suddenly, "Monk Kannin said that her leaving had more to do than just me…"

"I believe so too. Maybe she wanted to know where she really came from. Why she was abandoned the way she was. Find her roots and discover more about her own people. Plus, I remember when we were all kids, she always wanted to travel the world and learn many things like her mother did. She wants to be just like Monk Kannin."

"You're right."

Demoska reached, taking Jiao's hand and giving it a firm squeeze, "You are going to be a part of this child's everyday life. Do you understand me?"

Jiao looked to her, nodding, "I know."

"I want you to take responsibility, even if you must act as a third parent. We can never hide the truth that it is you and I who are Aang's true parents."

"Yes Demoska."

"But I know Jigako will be the one to raise Aang as his child with me."

Jiao winced at how tightly Demoska was suddenly squeezing his hand, as if she were in pain, "D-Demoska are you alright!?"

"It…it hurts!"

"I'll go get help!"

"I…I think this baby is coming now!"

He looked to her panicked, "A-are you sure!?"

"Please…it…" she squeezed his hand tighter.

Jiao looked around, then calling out the open door, "SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP! I THINK SHE'S IN LABOR!"

After a few minutes, nuns rushed in, one prying her hand off his and asking him, "Did you see her water break?"

He shook his head, looking at the floor, "N-no nothing yet!"

Elsewhere, Avatar Roku was battling a volcano while Fire Lord Sozin intervened to supposedly help an old friend.

Jiao followed the nuns as they were moving Demoska out of the room.

She looked to Jiao weakly, "T-tell Jigako…"

He nodded, rushing back into her room and writing the note rushed. He'd sent another note to Jigako before, as he decided he was going to own up and tell Jigako what he'd done. But that could wait till after Aang came out. Finishing the letter, he rolled the scroll and ran out, knowing that Jigako left Gnaa behind on purpose, just for carrying any urgent news to him. "Go Gnaa go! Don't you stop even once! Get that letter to Jigako!" Watching the bison rush off hurriedly, he ran back to the temple in a full sprint.

*

Nun Hana, another friend of Demoska's, was the first to see when her water broke. They were glad they moved her to the appropriate place. This baby was just not waiting.

"Why is she acting this way?"

"Because she is giving birth right now!"

"No…does a pregnant woman usually thrive this way? So desperately! This is a sign; she will die after this baby is born!"

"Do not say that!"

"She is free to say what she likes. Either way it is like she is possessed!"

"Push! I want you to push harder! It's coming! The baby is coming right now!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"It's almost done. Just two more pushes, hear that? It's almost out!"

Demoska shouted, tilting her head back, "Why is my baby…not crying!?"

Nun Hana kept her concentration, "I don't know but its eyes are open. It's moving, it's alive and well! One more push! Come on!"

Jiao was at a distance, watching everything, feeling ill and awed at the same time.

Nun Hana smiled, holding little Aang, "He's a boy! Hear that? You birthed a boy!"

The other nuns looked to the exhausted Demoska gladly.

Panting and sweating, Demoska tried to look at her son, "But why is he not crying?"

Another nun pointed, "He is smiling. Look."

They all crowded to look at the infant Aang, Nun Hana taking him to separate and clean him off properly. The baby laughed as he was being cleansed.

Demoska heard the laughing and sighed, smiling as her hair stuck to her forehead by thick sweat, her breaths mighty heaves as her body violently shook.

Another nun clapped her hands, "He must be the gentlest spirit in a baby that I've ever seen!"

Nun Hana nodded, "I believe he is at peace."

Jiao, seeing that everyone was calm, entered the room, "It is done?" He looked to Demoska, seeing her looking so fragile and sickly, almost glassy under all of that sweat.

Nun Hana brought the baby back over to Nun Demoska, "Do you want to hold your baby?"

Demoska took what little strength she had left and raised her arms weakly towards her child. Jiao was here and Jigako wasn't, but she couldn't even think about that. All that ran through her mind as she was passing away was her baby. Her baby, her, "He will be named Aang." She took him close to her bosom, cradling him. The last thing she saw in her life was Aang's little smiling angelic face looking up at her. Her last thought was that he was so perfect. He looked just like Jiao and Jigako and he had her eyes.

Another nun, Nun Jini, ran and caught Aang as he was dropped, catching him before he hit the floor and panting, then she looked up, outraged. She was about to ask Demoska what was wrong with her but looking up, she had to fight back a scream. Demoska was looking at her, but she wasn't moving.

The other nuns rushed to Demoska to check the woman for life.

Nun Hana fought back tears, and turned to Jiao, "Who has no pupil to tend to? This is a special child. He will be given to one of the elders. A baby that does not cry and…his mother dies when he is born. He is truly a child born of the circle of life. A life for a death."

Jiao went limb. _A…a life for a death…Demoska…!_ He looked over as Nun Jini came carrying Aang towards him. He had to pull himself together since he would be going in front of the elders.

Even so, he looked to his dead friend and wanted to break down at that very moment into tears. He looked back to the nuns and bowed to them, "I will take the baby to them. He must be familiar with his mentor." Taking Aang in his grasp, he fled the room and traveled to another part of the temple, where the elders were having a meeting.

*

Gnaa was flying as fast as he possibly could, a nervous Jigako squeezing the reigns tightly. _I have to get there. I have to make it!_

He'd been flying for over a day and he was glad that Gnaa wasn't tired yet. He refused to sleep.

Suddenly the last thing he expected happened, "GNAA!" He let go of the reigns, turning and rushing up to a fire on the bison's hide, trying his best to put it out, he noticed Gnaa was going down, "No no no no no no Gnaa hang on!"

More fire came in his direction and he grabbed his glider and spun it to create enough of a gust to put the flames out.

Fire Lord Sozin pointed, "Take him down. And when he gets down, he's mine."

Jigako's eyes stung as his bison hit the ground. Gnaa was as much of a friend to him as Yai and every other person he knew. _All life is sacred._ "Hang on buddy!" He narrowed his eyes.

Never in his life had Jigako gotten angry, but as he watched his injured bison, he spun around and made fists, eying the man on the back of a red dragon, "You did this!"

Fire Lord Sozin looked down at the Air Nomad, amused, speaking to his small army with him "Detain him."

As the firebenders came to get Jigako, he flung his arm outwards, creating a gust that knocked them all back. Dropping his glider and taking stance he looked straight at the Fire Lord, "You hurt him. You're responsible for the death of my people, the pains that I've seen since I was young." He hissed menacingly, "Leave us alone. You've done enough."

Fire Lord Sozin found this more than amusing, "So you're the one who has been giving us the hardest time. I find it funny that I travel to an invasion myself for the first time and I find the enemy that I've wanted to find."

Jigako said nothing, yet kept stance.

The dragon raised itself and blew fire at the bison.

Jigako lept, using his bare hands to create winds that would redirect the flames of the dragon away from Gnaa. Landing, he didn't take his dangerously narrowed eyes off of Fire Lord Sozin for a second.

Fire Lord Sozin, looked down harshly, "Fine, I will take you on and teach you some manners myself."

*

Jiao burst into the room with the Elder monks, "This child has taken a life to be born. One of the elders must be his mentor…he is special! The nuns have felt it and foreseen it!"

The monks all came to a stand, looking to one another.

"Gyatso, you have no pupil."

Monk Gyatso knew very well about this child that was coming. He remembered young Nun Demoska, her lover Monk Jigako, and he most certainly remembered the 18 year old Monk Jiao in front of him, looking so nervous, confused, and lost. Then he looked to Aang, the happy baby who had no idea of what tragedies had just befallen. The baby's smile was contagious, "I see. It is of the cycle that I be your mentor. You whom was not born crying, but at peace, will be a Master of your element." He looked up to Jiao, "What is his name?"

Jiao bowed in his presence, "Aang."

Nun Jini came bursting in next, her face tear streaked, "She…has passed!"

The Elder monks went to follow Nun Jini, leaving Monk Gyatso and Jiao with Aang.

Gyatso cradled Aang, looking to Jiao, "Are you his father?"

A trait Jiao had for a long time exposed itself, his cheeks turned red as he shook his head, "His father is at the Western Air Temple. I am the twin brother of the father."

"Separated identical twins, a passed nun, and a child born at peace. This is truly not an ordinary child."

Jiao nodded, taking a bow, "I must be going now. I must alert my brother that his baby is born."

Gyatso nodded, "Indeed. Go on then. I will look after Aang."

Jiao turned and bolted, feeling himself getting sick. He puked after he ran outside the temple, panting and trying to stop his own shaking and tears as a complete nervous breakdown consumed him from the inside out. He'd already sent the letter to Jigako a long time ago. He needed to process everything that happened.

*

Jigako looked into the fire that engulfed him, his life flashing before his eyes. Demoska, Jigako, Yai. The baby he never got to see. In a flash, he was back with Demoska in their secret place, looking down at her and running his hand over her skin. He could tell this was one of the times after they'd made love as they were both fully unclothed.

Demoska looked up at him, reaching and cupping his cheek in her palm gently.

"Demoska…are we dead?"

She slowly nodded, her eyes reflecting her sorrow, "You weren't there. But I did it my love. I used everything in me and gave birth to our baby."

He reached, taking her hand and turning his head to kiss and caress it lovingly, "Demoska…"

Her eyes started to tear, "It's okay. Everything's gonna be okay, my love." She whispered, "I know why Aang is so special Jigako. Why three lives were taken for him to exist."

"Why?"

Her voice was a whisper, "I had a vision while I was in labor. Our baby Aang…he is the spirit of the planet…"

Jigako understood, "Our baby is the Avatar." That had to have meant the third life taken was that of Avatar Roku, who must have died within the same week.

The tears fell down her face slowly but she laughed a little, "Making love with your soul mate really does bind souls together…"

He smiled, leaning to kiss her while she was crying, "For eternity my love. I'm so sorry that I broke our promise…"

She started to disappear as did he. They both touched one anothers' cheek, their other hands still laced together lovingly.

The vanishing Demoska spoke clearly, "I love you so much Jigako."

As he saw himself disappearing too, his eyes stung with tears as he knew he was completely slipping away, "I love you so much Demoska."

Together, the lovers vanished.


	11. Chapter 11: Back In My Arms

A/N: Oh don't think the story is over! It's far from over. We still have **years **to cover before Sozin's comet even arrives.

Enjoy! =]

____________________________________________________________________________

*

Two Air Nomads were leaving the Western Air Temple, headed for the Southern Air Temple. Yet during their days of travel, something on the ground caught their attention and they swooped down on their bison to inspect.

Monk Jigen, a friend of the twins since they were young gasped and covered his mouth when he saw the sight.

Monk Haruna came down and looked disturbed as they found the carcasses of Monk Jigako and his bison. He and Jigako had been childhood acquaintances. He was the one who snatched Demoska's love letter and read it aloud to make fun of him in front of the other kids.

Monk Jigen cried, "We have to take him back with us at least. The Southern Air Temple has to know of this! He…he was…a prodigy and he has so many loved ones at home."

Monk Haruna agreed.

*

Monk Kannin held onto Jiao tightly, letting him let out his tears and cries. She looked towards Yai's room where the poor innocent orphaned baby slept peacefully.

She wished she was at the Southern Air Temple as the tragedy struck, then again, she might have wept herself and had not been able to be strong for Jiao.

Everyone agreed, even Demoska's grieving parents, that Jiao keep the baby.

Monk Kannin didn't think it fair that Demoska's parents were giving Jiao the responsibility of raising a child when he was suffering just as they were.

The Elder monks, Monk Kannin, Demoska's parents, Monk Gyatso, and Jiao were all expecting Jigako to return and horror met them all when Monk Jigen and Monk Haruna returned with Jigako's scorched body.

The Elder monks were extremely upset. Monk Jigako was going to become one of them when he became of age, which he never would now.

On Jigako's body was a note, hand written by Fire Lord Sozin himself, a threat to the Air Nomads entirely.

Monk Kannin fought back her own tears, kissing Jiao's forehead and caressing him in a motherly fashion. For once, she was at a loss of words.

"Monk Kannin…"

"Yes my child?"

He sniffled, "Will you help me take care of Aang?"

Monk Kannin nodded, "Of course I will Jiao. Of course!"

He felt relieved, though Jigako's body still haunted him in his mind. He wanted revenge on whoever did this to his brother. All life was sacred, yes, but…the murderer…he deserved what would come to him. After he trained more, surpassed Jigako's skill, he would take the Fire Lord down.

*

Monk Kannin was called away from the Southern Air Temple, leaving Jiao at the house to take care of Aang by himself after the funeral of Demoska and Jigako. They were buried together as everyone would have wanted it.

Jiao held Aang close, whispering, "Your mother and uncle may have passed Aang, but I'm here for you little buddy."

After Monk Kannin was sent away, Monk Gyatso came to visit and what a relief that visit was. The Elder agreed to help him take care of Aang whenever he could.

Monk Kannin left him with more than enough advice and what he needed to care for the baby and he couldn't get out of his mind something curious Monk Gyatso told him.

_My little Aang might be the Avatar?_

After changing 10 month old Aang and tucking him in, Jigako went outside in the back to continue the training as Monk Kannin had also left a detailed instruction of. He was to train with his own element and the stances and techniques of all four elements, using them to empower his airbending. He knew that Aang was a heavy little sleeper, so that afternoon, he resumed his training alone.

"Is it me, or did you get taller monk?"

Jiao blinked and looked over to the back doorway where the voice came from. At first he thought he was imagining things, but the sight that caught his attention made him freeze, "It can't be…"

In her special occasion green and golden dress, stepping out into the yard of her own home, Yai leaned back onto the house, looking out at Jiao, "Don't stop for me, I want to see those southern water tribe stances again." She smiled sweetly, playing with her medium brown hair modestly.

Jiao looked her up and down and without saying anything he ran to her and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face into her shoulder.

Yai hugged him back just as tightly, "I heard about everything that happened as soon as I got back. I'm so sorry. It must have been hard Jiao."

He nuzzled his face into her dress, "It still is hard Yai." He let her go stepping back to look at her, "Yai…look at you now. You've grown up into this beautiful woman!"

She chuckled, "Well you could say that. I just…dolled myself up a bit before I got here." She shrugged like it didn't matter.

Jiao looked to her sincerely, reaching to hold her waist, "Yai…"

She rolled her eyes and then looked at him, "You totally lost your sense of humor Jiao. This serious you isn't so fit-" she was cut off by an assertive, passionate kiss, finishing her sentence when they parted lips in a sigh, "-ing…" she blushed.

He rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes, "Before anything happens I just want to know one thing…"

She reached up, wrapping her arms around him, "Yes Monk Moron, I forgave you." She giggled, "Couldn't you tell by my attitude?"

He smiled for the first time in a long time, leading her inside the house, tracing his hands from her waist up into her own hands, "I love you. Always have…always will."

She smiled sincerely, placing a hand on his cheek, "I love you too."

Everything about her came back to him. Their times together, their conversations, when he talked to her mother, even his last talk with Demoska. How he felt when Yai left. His haunting nightmares, his dreams about her, the spells of insomnia from thinking about her, all the heartache and pain. She…Yai…had always been there right beside him, through thick and thin and through his every trouble and peace, and he vowed that he wouldn't ignore that fact ever again, "Yai…I promise that I won't ever hurt you again."

She knew he would be a different person by the time she'd gotten back. The letter from her mother vouched for him unconditionally. And her mother wouldn't have written such a heartfelt letter had it not been true. Then again, hearing that he'd moved in with Monk Kannin back then, she knew hands down that he'd changed for the better. Her journey, in her mind, was complete. She was truly able to forgive him and it was two vital trips she had taken that lead to her epiphany, "I know." She hugged him again, thinking of the events of when she went to the Fire Nation.

Yai had also gone to a place that her mother hadn't in all her travels, The Spirit World.

She understood that being so enlightened, her mother would be able to see the spirits anyway.

There was a part of her that was not yet complete and she fully understood her place.

"The baby is sleeping. Has been for a while."

She nodded, closing her eyes and tilting her forehead against Jiao's once more, "There's something I think you should know."

He listened.

"All this time I've saved myself for you."

He got the hint immediately. Yai was still a virgin.

"I…want to be bound to you and only you."

That was all he needed to hear. Scooping her up, she laughed and clung onto him, smirking as he led her to his bedroom, laying her down and mounting her, gazing at her lovingly.

She reached to poke his forehead, "It was long overdue that we connect ourselves."

He nodded, kissing her, "That it was."

She moaned at the contact between their lower bodies, blushing, "I'll help you raise the baby."

He kissed down her body, "I'd love that. I know you'd be an excellent stepmother."

The talking ceased as her dress was being unfastened and removed as well as her undergarments, her body being showered with kisses all the while. She reached, taking a tight grip of Jiao's pants and removing those as well. Her blush faded as she arched her back to embrace him when they were fully unclothed, "Jiao I never meant the sarcastic things I said when we were on our way to Omashu that night."

He smiled, positioning himself, "I know. Are you ready?"

She nodded, clinging onto him desperately and letting out a loud cry as he inserted himself into her for the first time. She winced and bit into her bottom lip, waiting for the feeling of uncomfort to go away. The way it was described to her years ago by Demoska was all too precise.

He waited, able to keep complete control of himself despite the fact that she felt so tight, slick, and warm he thought all time froze.

"J-Jiao!"

Hearing her shout of delight, he began his movements, leaning in to silence her pleasured shouts with a deep kiss. He didn't want the baby to wake up right at that moment to meet his stepmother. Not yet; not until they were finished. He was bursting with energy, and he felt as if he would be able to hold on for hours.

As he tenderly scrubbed her insides, she gave a sharp gasp and whispered, "I love you so much."

He smiled against her lips, closing his eyes as she did, "I love you too." He wanted her to feel every inch of their bond. For her not to ever regret waiting on him for so long, even though she'd gotten hurt emotionally in the process. He was making amends, making everything up to her here and now. Their bond would be strong and unbreakable. They were of two different nations, opposite elements, but they were going to make this work. They would transcend the boundaries pit against them. He felt a surge of pride and wholeness as he continuously pounded into her, causing her to writhe and react in complete bliss.

He felt so breathtakingly amazing that she was at a loss of words when it seemed he really began. She swore that she could physically feel the invisible strings connecting them to one another. The feeling was all in her heart. It beat for him, called out for him, drew him towards her every time he'd pulled away. And as they were together on his bed bonding their souls, she felt the happiest that she'd ever felt in her life. Thoughts from her old self emerged. She was _his _girl and no one else's and he was all hers. They would be each others' everything, "Jiao!"

"Yai!" He opened his eyes to look into her own, seeing them hazed over with desire and happiness. He kept going, feeling invigorated as a person.

"Don't stop…oh Jiao!"

He kissed along her neck, "I won't…" _Not for the world._

In the next room, the infant Aang continued to sleep peacefully.

*

Jiao and Yai held hands as they looked in, checking on Aang. Yai smiling, "He's adorable!"

The baby opened his eyes and looked up at the couple before him, reaching for Yai.

She gave Jiao's hand a squeeze, then letting go to pick up the baby that she would be a mother to, "He has Demoska's eyes." She smiled widely.

Jiao chuckled, "I'm glad that he seems to really like you."

Yai snickered, bouncing the giggly baby, "He knows who his new mommy is gonna be. Don't you Aang?"

Aang giggled and placed his little hands on Yai's.

"He's so cute that I could squeal!"

Jiao leaned in, kissing Yai's cheek, "We might give him a younger brother or sister."

Yai blushed, thinking back to the hours they spent making love earlier, "Possibly." She sighed contently. Jiao was no short of amazing, showing his love for her eagerly and when they both reached the climax at the same time, she knew that she'd made the right decision and it was here with Jiao that she belonged.

"Yai, there's something you should know about Aang."

She snapped out of her sensual daydream, "What's that?"

Jiao leaned on her side, "The Elder Monks think he is the Avatar."

Yai widened her eyes, then looking at the baby she was cradling, "W-what? But that would mean my teacher is…"

"They don't know for sure yet. They'll test him soon."

Yai blinked, then leaning in and kissing Aang's forehead, "You're the most special baby in the world then." She sighed, "Jiao…when an Avatar is born, they are usually born an only child."

Jiao shrugged, "We don't know that for sure either. But we could keep trying to have one of our own for Aang to grow up with."

She nodded then giggling, "How fitting that the people who raise him are masters of two different elements."

Jiao chuckled, "Opposites attract."

Yai looked over to Jiao, her face getting serious, "Hey Jiao. Do you know when my mother will be back?"

"She's been gone for months. Sent to the Eastern Air Temple. I don't know when she'll be back."

"It's just that I'm worried about her. I was hoping that she'd be here when I came back."

"She took Jigako's place instead of me because everyone wanted me to stay here and take care of Aang."

Yai frowned, "With me here, do you think they'll ask either one of us to help?"

Jiao shook his head, "Before your mother left, she promised that she would not return until there was an era of peace. I think with her helping, they won't call either of us."

She nodded, "I want the three of us here together. My mother, you, and me. Aang needs all the people who care about him closest to him."

"I agree. For now it's just us until Monk Kannin gets back." He ran his fingers through Yai's brown hair delicately.

She blushed, loving the feel of his touch. Looking down to Aang, she smiled at him, "Such a happy baby! I hope he gets to be such a happy kid!" She giggled, "You can teach him how to air surf. And one day he can take his girlfriend out to watch the sunrise and sunset from high up in the sky."

Jiao laughed, "You can teach him earthbending and we can both teach him the secret."

Yai quirked a brow, "The secret huh?"

He nodded, "Yai…your mother told me about it, but she'd never tell me what it was. But now I understand it. She told me I'd be able to understand it after I figured the meaning behind love is life and life is love. She said you'd also find out the same secret during your travels."

She chuckled, "I believe I did."

They spoke in unison, "There is no such thing as separation."

They looked at each other, smiling then kissing lightly.

"It was the entire reasoning behind your mother's training. It's how she was able to instruct you on how to earthbend, even though she's an Air Nomad. Her training made my airbending incredibly stronger."

"Everything is a part of a whole, even the elements." She blushed and nudged him with her elbow, "Like lovers bonding."

He kissed her cheek, "You're so right. And one more thing you should know Yai. It's really important."

She straightened up, looking to him seriously, "Yes Jiao?"

He cracked a large smile, "I've become a master of making tea."

She burst out laughing then nudging him again, giggling, "You really haven't lost your sense of humor after all!"

He chuckled, "I got it back when the love of my life came back to me."

"Well then, the love of your life wants to see just how good at tea making you are." She winked.

"Alright." He stood up, walking towards the kitchen, "Watch and learn Yai!"

*

Monk Gyatso knocked on the door politely.

Yai opened it up, snickering as Jiao made another funny joke, though seeing an Elder at the door she immediately bowed in his presence, "Elder Monk Gyatso! It is an honor to see you."

Monk Gyatso recognized Yai immediately, bowing back in return, "The honor is mine. I just wanted to check up on you and see how things were progressing."

Yai smiled, "Aang is fine. He's walking now. You want to see him?"

"I would be delighted." He followed Yai into their humble home, looking with a large smile at the one year old who came out from the kitchen area walking slowly.

Jiao followed Aang out, watching him carefully, stopping when he noticed their guest, he bowed in his presence, "Monk Gyatso."

Gyatso bowed back, "Monk Jiao." He looked at little Aang, "He's growing up in such a happy home it seems. Everyone is full of smiles and laughter."

The couple nodded, Yai bending down and holding her arms out, "Come to mama Aang."

Aang turned slowly and wobbly, starting to walk towards Yai, reaching for her.

Monk Gyatso laughed, "Excellent. I will take my leave then. I just wanted to see how he was doing was all."

Jiao nodded, "Thank you Monk Gyatso. You are welcome in our home always."

Monk Gyatso nodded, "Farwell. I'll be back again with news of Monk Kannin."

Yai looked up, "Do you know if my mother is alive?"

Monk Gyatso smiled, "She is a woman of true peace. She will return here when the time is right."

The couple looked to each other relieved.

Yai grabbed Aang when he reached her, picking him up, all of them watching as Monk Gyatso left.

The couple looked back at each other, Jiao interrupting the silence, "Your mom is okay."

"Yeah, that's all that I needed to know really. Though I really wish she would come home already."

"I know." He walked up, kissing her cheek and then kissing Aang's forehead, "I want Aang to be as familiar with her as he is with Monk Gyatso."

"I want the same Jiao. She should be like a grandmother to him."

He smiled as he thought of one of the traveling stories she'd told him about, "She really is you know."

*

Putting away the vegetables, she knew that the vegetable stew she put on wouldn't be done for hours. The recipe she'd gotten required that it simmered low for almost an entire day to create a delicious broth. Yai sighed, hearing the baby crying she knew she had to tend to him.

Her lover had gone out to the main temple and hadn't been back yet.

She turned around, sighing to herself, going to check and see why 10 month old Aang was crying. Looking in at him and seeing him writhing around. She understood, "Someone needs their diaper changed don't they?" Yai had experience with babies, since her adventures happened to wound her up delivering a baby in the South Pole and helping the mother take care of her beautiful baby girl for three months.

She smiled and stuck her tongue out at Aang, "Baby made a poopie is all. Don't cry Aang its gonna be okay."

He stopped crying and writhed a little more hearing the funny noises she was making, he started to giggle and laugh.

Yai giggled, "That's it Aang."

She promised herself that there would never be a day when Aang didn't smile, not while she was around. That was how she wanted to raise him, for Demoska's and Jigako's sake. She felt terrible for Jigako. He died not knowing that Aang wasn't his son. She hoped that Demoska told him in their next life…as spirits. She knew they were both watching over him either way.

She returned and gave herself to Jiao a week ago and shivers of delight still ran through her body as she thought about her first time with him. The first time he was inside of her. She looked down at Aang, smiling, "You might get a little brother or sister."

She could imagine his touch. Feel his hands moving down her arms and down to her elbows. Tracing to her sides to her hips. Hands moving down her thighs, and then back upwards between her legs. She gasped loudly as her own imagination ran wild. She started to feel herself getting excited as she thought of Jiao's fingers prodding her before entry.

She snapped out of her daydream when Aang cooed and blew spit bubbles.

Opening her eyes and laughing, she disposed of his dirty diaper and washed her hands, going to pick him up and put him back in his cradle after changing him, "I'll be right back with your bottle okay little guy?"

He looked over at her, then reached for one of his wooden toys to play with.

She smiled widely, "You're such a beautiful baby. I wish I was your real mother." She turned and left Aang to play, hearing a knock on the door after setting his bottle near him in the crib.

She groaned, wanting to clean herself up from her wet and sticky daydream first. Thankfully none of it got on her long skirt. Opening the door, she blinked as Demoska's parents stood with a bag of belongings.

Nun Chigai and Monk Natu stood looking down at Yai.

Yai had to remember that Demoska's parents were both extremely tall people. Nun Chigai was six foot one while Monk Natu was six foot five. She stood before them at five foot six looking up at their faces curiously.

Nun Chigai sighed, "We tried to visit before but you seemed…busy...with Monk Jiao."

Yai immediately broke out into a deep blush, "O-oh…so…you want to see the baby?"

They smiled. Monk Natu nodding, "Yes, we want to see our grandson. We have to give him all of the garments and toys we hand made for him after all."

Nun Chigai nodded as well, "This is a bit difficult for us you see. These were supposed to go to our daughter and she's…"

Yai held up a hand, "You don't have to say anything. Come on in." Stepping aside to let them both in, she sighed and closed the door, watching as they went into her old room to see Aang. She thought to herself that she really should bring him around other babies to have someone to play with. Although the gifts for Aang was a very generous gesture. It looked like they took their time with serious dedication to make them.

Nun Chigai walked over to Yai while holding a sleepy Aang, "We know that you and Jiao are trying to have a baby of your own, so make sure that Aang learns to share his toys when the time comes."

Yai bowed and nodded, "Of course!" Her blush came back. Something to her seemed extra creepy about a monk and nun happening to come around the house while she was having sex with a monk. Ever since her Nun title was revoked, she didn't feel out of the loop and like an outsider till right at that moment. She reached, rubbing the back of her head nervously.

Monk Natu smiled, "Where is Jiao anyway?"

Yai shrugged, "He got called to the main temple an hour ago and hasn't been back since."

Nun Chigai nuzzled Aang.

Yai had to ask them a question that'd been haunting her since she found out about Demoska's death, "Hey…Monk Natu, Nun Chigai…why didn't you take Aang after Demoska passed?"

They looked to each other and then back to Yai, Monk Natu twitching a bit, "We wanted to keep what family the baby had left from Jigako's side with him. You see…Monk Jiao is the only one in his entire family left. It'd be a shame if we would have taken him and he never get the chance to meet his nephew."

"What do you mean never meet?"

Nun Chigai sighed, "If he didn't take the baby, he would have to step up and perform all of Monk Jigako's duties. That means he'd be traveling nonstop to the other temples. He'd hardly get to spend any time with Aang at all. So we knew that if we didn't take him, it wouldn't be so. And as a consequence of our denial, Monk Kannin stepped forward to do what we didn't want for Monk Jiao."

She understood. That meant that she could only have one or the other. She loved her mother dearly, but her life was complete with Jiao. So she chose him and Aang. This life as a family woman and housewife with her boys. She'd have it like this rather than a life with just her and Jiao traveling together all the time. Aang needed a stable family environment and it was that which she was going to give him. "I see…"

Nun Chigai looked down at Aang, "We mean you no harm Yai. We come to you with courtesy and we thank you so much that you took it upon yourself to step in and help Jiao raise this baby."

She nodded, "You see how he has Demoska's eyes?"

They looked at their grandson's eyes, smiling.

Another knock on the door.

Yai quirked a brow, turning, "I'll get that." She opened the door for Monk Haruna. Not recognizing him, she waited for him to speak.

"Please, I was a friend of Monk Jigako and Monk Jiao. I just come with a message from Monk Jiao matter of factly. He wants you to come to the main temple immediately."

Yai sighed, "Okay then." She turned to Demoska's parents, "Um I'm being called to the temple too. Can you guys please watch over Aang?"

Monk Natu nodded, looking back to his grandson and raising a finger for the infant Aang to playfuly grab onto.

*

Yai followed Monk Haruna, walking by his side and trying to ignore the fact that he was staring at her. After a few short minutes, her patience wore thin, "What?"

Monk Haruna looked away with a small blush, "People speak of you all the time with high regard but no one really said how beautiful Monk Jiao's earth kingdom mistress is."

She made a fist, annoyed, "Did you just call me his mistress?"

He gulped, "In a friendly way! Please don't take offense!"

Rolling her eyes, she released the fist, "So everyone's talking about us huh?"

"People think it's really admirable how you came back to help. And well…ever since everything happened, no one's seen Monk Jiao even smile. Now that you're back the guy's so happy. He must wake up every day with a smile on his face."

She thought back to each day this week and how he really did wake up every day with a smile. She smiled a little, then thinking of when she spied on him training when she first got back. He looked like a completely different person. He looked…cold and sorrowful but determined. She knew she was the reason he was smiling again.

And then she thought about their bonding.

She blushed and looked forward. He'd only say mistress if he _knew _about that, "Hey Monk Haruna…"

"Yeah?"

"Who in the entire Southern Air Temple doesn't know that Jiao and I are trying to make a baby?"

His blush deepened, "Oh…oh my…!"

"How many people know Haruna? Be honest."

"Well we all assumed…I didn't know it was really true. I mean it's your business! But it's kinda obvious to everyone."

She bit her lip, "Explain."

"Well…Monk Jiao had been miserable for a long time, forcing happiness for his nephew. I personally know that he would cry at night. Or he used to. I was there just once and he asked me to stay. He felt so alone after Monk Kannin was called away. And then out of the blue this beautiful woman from the Earth Kingdom comes. It changed everything about him. A man doesn't change to being that happy unless he and the woman…you…are in love."

She stopped walking and thought to herself about how hard it must have been for him. She felt so terrible for a moment. A while ago, she'd been expecting the smiling faces of Jigako, Demoska, and Monk Kannin at her return. She expected Jiao to have metamorphosized into a better person. Instead she came back to tears and grief. When she first returned, she cried long and hard over the deaths of her friends. She knew that no matter what, Jiao loved both of her friends as much as she did.

As she'd cried then, she thought of Jiao and vouched she would go to see him that afternoon. But she wouldn't come to him filled with grief. That was the last thing he of all people needed. He didn't need another person to grieve with, he needed someone he loved to be by his side to pick him up out of the darkness. And that's what she did. As a consequence for her decision, she found the love that she'd always wanted and she got so much more. She was a mother of a child that wasn't hers and she was the only other person to have known the child's true lineage.

She had to wipe her eyes with her sleeve and stop walking for a second, ignoring Monk Haruna as he watched her. Taking a deep breath and fighting back her tears, she smiled, looking back up and clapping her hands together. What mattered is that she was here now and so was Jiao.

They kept walking, this time in silence.

*

Coming into the main temple, she looked around. Seemed like a gathering of the Monks. Monk Haruna parted ways with her, "I've got a couple of things to do." He smiled, "Nice meeting you."

She crossed her arms after waving a farewell to her escort, "Now where is that man?"

Monk Gyatso was walking by and noticed her waiting and approached, "Why hello Yai."

She brightened up and bowed politely, "Hey Monk Gyatso! I hear you're the greatest airbender there ever was! Good going old man!"

He laughed, nodding politely in return, "Likewise, you are a very strong earthbender."

She smirked, "Though I gotta ask, where do you think Jiao would rank out of everyone in the Southern Air Temple with his airbending now?"

Monk Gyatso quirked a brow, "You mean he never told you?"

She frowned, "Told me? Told me what?"

"Why he is the greatest airbender next to me."

She froze, "G-greatest?" She beamed, "Oh wow! Monk Gyatso he never told me! The jerk! How come he didn't tell me he was doing so well!? I gotta give him a peace of my mind when I find him now!"

Monk Gyatso shrugged, "Just don't hurt him too badly. I know with all of that greatness he wouldn't lift a single breeze against you."

She suddenly felt arms coming around her waist and she smirked, knowing full and well Jiao's touch. Leaning back onto Jiao as he hugged her, she sighed contentedly.

Monk Gyatso nodded to them both and took that as his cue to leave them be.

Jiao smiled and kissed her forehead.

She smiled and stepped on his foot hard before turning around and flicking her lovers nose, setting a hand on her hip, "First off, why didn't you tell me I was right since we were kids?"

He winced and grabbed his nose, "Ah sorry. Back then I thought you were just feeding my ego."

She pouted, "I wouldn't tell you you're the greatest airbender if I didn't mean it Monk Moron." She hugged him, "And you totally are. For you to be just under Monk Gyatso…you're so amazing Jiao!"

He smiled, the pain subsiding, "Yai there's something that I made for you. That's why I asked that you come here. And asked for all of these people to come."

She turned around, seeing the monks gathered, Monk Gyatso among them and blinked when they all turned to face them.

He blushed a little, reaching into his orange top and pulling out two bracelet charms from the pouch inside.

She widened her eyes in shock, "J-Jiao are those?"

He blushed more, "I know that in the Water Tribe they make necklaces and in the Fire Nation they have fancy rings or something. I…I don't know what they do in the Earth Kingdom when you want to marry someone but…so…I mean…I made these and I…"

Tears of happiness welled up and she rushed to hug him again, "Yes yes! Of course I'll marry you!"

He smiled and hugged her back, then parting and taking her hand, sliding the betrothal bracelet onto her wrist and putting the other one on.

She looked at it, smiling widely, "I…I'm not even wearing a wedding dress. Just this plain old Earth Kingdom dress. And I didn't really do my hair that great and…"

He shook his head, "You look beautiful." Taking her by the hips, he leaned in and kissed her passionately.

She kissed back and looked him in the eye, "I didn't think I could be any happier but now I truly am the happiest woman in the world."

Monk Gyatso bowed to them and announced, "You are husband and wife."

Yai turned, "Thank you all. I know it isn't a part of your culture to have weddings and be married."

Monk Gyatso nodded, "But we all know that it is a part of yours."

She nodded, turning back to Jiao, "I'm now your wife. I…I didn't think or ever imagine I'd be married at 18."

Jiao smiled more, "Well it just happened. Come on, let's go home." He reached, taking her hand with the widest smile on his face.

She blushed and took his hand, giving it a squeeze in return and walking out of the main temple with him. Them holding hands as they walked, "You're such a slickster! I had no idea you called me to propose at the alter. And I didn't even suspect it."

Jiao chuckled, "I wanted it to be a surprise."

She smiled, "Well you got me good."

Walking to their home, she smiled as she opened the door, "Guess who's back?"

Monk Natu and Nun Chigai came up to them smiling, "The baby is asleep. And we have many duties to attend to." Nun Chigai looked to their joined hands and marriage bracelets, "We wish you both so much happiness as husband and wife."

They smiled, closing the door as their guests left.

*

It was a pitch complimenting their relationship that Jiao greatly proved himself worthy of his wife. Being of the earth element, Yai's mate had to impress her, please her, live up to her expectations. Jiao just kept fitting all the guidelines day in and day out. She wanted a man taller than her. Jiao was six foot while she was five foot six. She wanted a man who was smart. She was an earthbending master and if he could find a way to immobilize her in battle in any way, she was satisfied. He wouldn't fight her ever, he'd rather die first, but he would comply if she asked for a sparring session. When Monk Gyatso told her Jiao was second only to him, that was enough for her that he was a wonderful bender and played his cards smart. Her man had to be strong all around. She was attracted greatly to physical strength. And with his figure, she wasn't complaining. With Jiao, she knew he didn't have that kind of body out of nowhere. He had the strength to go along with it. His loving, caring nature also attracted her as well as his personality, even when he longed to be different when they were younger.

Yai was the woman of his dreams, literally. Her beauty transcended that of any Air Nomad in Jiao's opinion. He'd always loved and adored the fact that she was so different. That she had milk chocolate skin and silky dark brown hair. A smile that made angels sing. Rosy red lips and slanted eyes.

As an Air Nomad, he loved her being so down to earth but at the same time her head was up in the clouds. His element being air and the opposite of hers, the other Nomads often told him theoretically it shouldn't work out. That it wasn't the same as say fire and water. Fire and water complimented each other and created heat and steam, a substance. Air and earth did nothing of the sort since they could never combine. Oh how he loved proving them wrong! He loved the fact that she was an earthbender! And that they'd been creating techniques to compliment one another since they were kids. He loved everything about her personality. She kept him on his toes but she was so cute instead of a drill sergeant all the time. He loved her independence and her ability to take charge. She wasn't overly domineering and she didn't crave power. She might have been a bully at times, but he looked past that side of her, lining it with his past love for trickery, pranks, gloating, and games. Perhaps the other Air Nomads would be right if they were talking about Jigako and Yai, but he was him, not like his brother in any way other than looks.

Yai told herself that if a man couldn't make her nearly as happy as her best friend had been, then he certainly wasn't worth the time of day in a romantic sense. She'd made plenty of friends and had guys that liked her in the other nations, but none of them could compare to her favorite bald monk. In his own ways, he was so much stronger than her through his own suffering, which she was thankful was over.

As lovers, husband and wife, they were inseparable. As parents they were ecstatic, eager, and happy. Aang was their son and they would love him, raise him to be free.

Neither of them counted on the sorrow to come.

___________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: There's something I must express!

Anyone who supports a shipping like Zutara or Taang, please don't use anything I've done in this fic [a.k.a this chapter] to reinforce your favorite ship. Seriously, it's OC's. Jiao's and Yai's relationship does prove that love between opposite elements _is_ possible. But consider their circumstances. They had so much tension between them as they were growing up and Jiao was just denying it till he screwed up big time. He really does love Yai with all his heart and with his personality he can easily put up with her 'tough girl/Mrs. Independent/drill sergeant' moments.

I personally don't see how Taang is possible, but I do love the idea of opposite elements defying the odds and being together. x] I just don't think Taang is the one. So I present to you Jiao/Yai! Because earth and air being together is delicious!! I'm considering a Fire/Water pairing for another fic that is _not _Zutara.

People like Zutara and Taang, but those are just not my cup of tea. So to make the 'opposites attract' work, I made my own characters that fit the bill. And yes, I had Jiao and Yai getting together in my head from the very beginning.

Aang was an acccccident!? =O! Honestly, Jiao blamed himself for Demoska's death since he _knew _he was the baby-daddy. [-Had to-] So you can imagine his guilt trips.

I think it's adorable that baby Aang immediately warms up to Yai. I can see baby Aang liking anyone and everyone and being all giggles constantly. He especially warmed up to her due to not having a mother's touch, which Yai was more than happy to provide for him. Yep, Aang has a stepmother.

On a random note: Aang's grandmother, a.k.a. Jiao's and Jigako's mother Aara, was NOT a monk, nun, or even a bender at all. =] The girl worked in the library with the monks. She was just a regular girl. Not sure why that's important, but I think Monk Jagu/Aara slash would be so cute to elaborate on.

Anywho, chao till the next chapter.

Read and review! =D Reviews and feedback make me go to my happy place.


	12. Chapter 12: Sacrifices

*

21 year old Yai gave a hoot, "Whose three years old today!? You are little guy!"

Aang clapped his hands joyously, giggling, "Yay yay yay!"

She was waiting eagerly for Jiao to get back from the main temple, but in the meantime, she was spending quality time with her little Aang as she always did. She would have actually believed Aang to be her biological son by now had he not had Demoska's eyes. She chuckled as she remembered his first word sounding like her name.

Her three years with Jiao as his wife and raising Aang, was the happiest time of her life. She was fine with the fact that as fate willed, they'd been trying passionately and eagerly whenever they could, but she could produce no child of their own.

She had to admit however, the sex was wonderful.

She and Jiao were inseparable.

Monk Kannin didn't come back, though Yai remained hopeful that her mother was still alive, living at another air temple.

They hadn't been attacked for a long time now. There was something she knew her mother had to be directly responsible for, this era of peace amongst the Air Nomads. No Fire Nation attacks, no nothing. Even so, she couldn't understand why Monk Kannin didn't return home or even write. She wouldn't lose hope however. She had to be strong for Aang after all.

Demoska's parents died of old age the previous year, and it was vital that she, Jiao, and Aang attend their funeral since those were Aang's last blood relatives other than Jiao.

Jiao came in, closing the door behind him. To him Yai was all that was left. She was his everything, as she had been from the start of their bonding three years ago. He was so happy and fulfilled being with her. When they started off, he was practically making love to her almost every day. As time progressed, their passion only increased. He laughed to himself thinking about it. He couldn't help it. Her personality put a pep in his step and invigorated him in so many ways.

Aang meant the world to him as his son. And in a few years, he looked forward to begin showing him the basics of airbending.

Though being called to the main temple on Aang's third birthday, he was surprised. The Elders asked that he and Yai travel to the Earth Kingdom and set up another home. Yai was going to be Aang's earthbending teacher, so she should find a place in advanced fitting to teach him.

He wasn't sure what to think of this and had no idea The Elders wanted this because of a rumor that Fire Lord Sozin was on the move again.

The Elders requested that Aang be left at the Southern Air Temple under Monk Gyatso's care.

Looking to Yai as he came in, he relayed the information to her.

Yai blinked, "But that's crazy! I could teach him earthbending here! Why would they say something like that?"

Jiao shook his head, "I'm not sure, but they want us to leave immediately."

Yai held Aang, looking at him and hugging him tighter, "I…I think they want to separate us."

"Why do you say that Yai?"

"I don't think they want me coming back. They might want you to return to Aang, but they don't want me in the picture as his mother. I mean, yes, they want me to be his earthbending teacher, but why make it harder for him to get to me? His destiny is to travel the world and learn the elements. If I'm not here raising him anymore, he won't remember who I am. He'll just know of me."

He kissed her to ease her, wiping her shocked tears with his fingertips, "Maybe that's not true."

"I want to know why!"

Aang looked from one parent to the other, not knowing what was going on.

Jiao had to think for a moment, "Either way, we should go."

"Are you sure my love?"

He nodded, "I think we should. But I'll be staying with you until we find out what's happening next."

Yai nodded, "O-okay. But I have a bad feeling about this."

*

Monk Gyatso nodded, "I will take care of Aang in your absence." Taking the child, he held him closely.

Jiao bowed, "It is written in my will that if anything happened to us, you are the last person left to take care of Aang."

Gyatso nodded, "I hope that you two are safe in your travels. Please come back to us safety once all of this is over."

*

"Rin, you're such a good girl." Yai patted the bison's fur, sniffling, "Jiao…I already miss him."

"I do too."

"He's my baby, even if I didn't give birth to him."

Jiao reached, taking Yai's hand, "He's our baby. He's going to be okay, I promise."

She looked to him, leaning to kiss him, "But what about us?"

He kissed her back, "Everything is going to be okay."

She smiled and then looked with horror, pushing Jiao away and grabbing the reins on Rin's horns, veering the bison out of the way of a fireball.

Jiao looked over, seeing they were under attack, and he looked down, seeing a man in full armor, riding the back of a red dragon with a full army at his disposal on the ground.

"Jiao!"

"Yai, I'm going to distract them, you get away!"

"No, I'm landing Rin and fighting with you. We can take 'em!"

"No Yai! You need to get away!" He reached standing and opening his glider, "I don't want anything to happen to you. I'll take them myself."

She shook her head, "Jiao!"

He threw his glider out to catch the wind current, leaping off his bison and catching it as it swooped back to him, "I'll catch up to you."

Yai took a deep breath. She was firm and was going to be strong in the face of danger. Something snapped off in her mind as she avoided more fire coming from below, "He is the one who killed Jigako…" She narrowed her eyes. She let go of the reins on Rin, "Fly around the area, but stay safe, don't come for me old girl." She sprinted, diving off the bison and falling in the air.

She was caught as a fireball was being sent up towards her, she kept her eyes narrowed dangerously as Jiao caught her while flying his glider.

"Yai are you crazy!? I said to get out of here!"

"Jiao…the man on the dragon…he's the one who killed Jigako."

"What? Are you sure!?"

"I'm dead on sure about it. Jiao, I'm not leaving you. I'm staying here and fighting with you."

Jiao said nothing; avoiding more fire that he was sure was from the dragon's mouth itself. Seeing the dragon shoot the flames, he thought of Jigako, then narrowing his eyes, "You're right. It was him." He felt his brother's presence, then closing his eyes to fight away tears as a painful vision came to him, "He was burned alive by that man and the dragon at the same time."

Yai blinked, "How do you know?"

"Yai…I'm still connected to him, even if he's long passed. He gave me a vision."

"We've gotta avenge him Jiao. We stay and we fight for him and for Aang!"

At first, Jiao was hesitant. Then he made up his mind. He loved Yai with all his heart and soul. She was his world and he would protect her no matter what. Yai had always been strong and proud and now was no exception, heading straight into danger was how she was and he respected it.

"Jiao we need to be on the ground and then I'll even the playing field."

He started heading them towards the ground, dropping her before landing himself a good distance away from Fire Lord Sozin and his army.

Yai immediately began earthbending. This ground was definitely to her advantage, "I'll give you cover and take out the small fry."

Jiao stood tall, taking a deep breath, stretching his hands before him, then back inwards before outwards again, exhaling. The wind picking up.

Yai knew that pretty soon they'd be in hurricane-like winds and provided cover for herself, taking down her earth tent when he stopped, seeing that he took out a part of the army himself. She smiled, "We so got this. They aren't so tough."

Fire suddenly sprang up all around them from the dragon's breath and her smile faded as Fire Lord Sozin came in from above.

"Jiao! Get behind me."

He got behind her and she raised boulders, spinning and kicking each of them up at the dragon, providing them with cover and offense. The dragon was forced to move.

Jiao started picking up the winds with his glider, using it to put out the flames from around them, once he did, they saw that they were completely surrounded.

The lovers stood back to back in fighting stances.

"I love you Yai."

"I love you Jiao."

"If I don't make it, you have to."

"We're both gonna make it. We have to."

"Fight with everything you've got."

Yai smiled a little, "You don't have to tell me twice."

Jiao turned around, blasting wind in the direction of Yai's opponents.

Yai spun around, raising boulders and sending them in the direction of Jiao's opponents.

They kept fending off solider after solider, staying back to back to watch over one another.

Fire Lord Sozin looked at the Air Nomad fighting with the earthbending woman and raised his brows in surprise and wonder, "Impossible!" He narrowed his eyes, not seeing the burn on the Air Nomad's arm. He pushed past some of his subjects, shouting, "I'VE KILLED YOU ALREADY!"

Both Jiao and Yai looked in the direction of the shout and had to split up to avoid flames coming at them.

Flipping her way away, she landed and had to begin defending herself with offense against more soldiers. Looking back, she saw that Jiao was fighting the Fire Lord by himself.

She had faith in her lover, faith that he would win.

Jiao was careful, avoiding every last flicker of flame that came at him, fending it off with winds; changing the directions of the fires or putting them out. He narrowed his eyes, whispering, "I will take you down."

Yai had been fighting for what seemed like a long while, she'd been looking back to watch Jiao's fury with her very own eyes. He'd never been seen serious in battle but right now, if he wasn't her husband, her lover, her everything, she'd have been startled and possibly afraid.

Something she loved about Jiao was his strength. He was strong not just physically, but his bending was far greater than Jigako's hands down. She loved and relished having a man that was stronger than she was. That was because of all of the training and exercising. Noticing as he faced off against the Fire Lord, he was using waterbending stances to enhance the wind as it picked up. She caught on immediately, "No separation." She took the same firebending stance as the soldiers, confusing them. She smiled, spinning on her heel and kneeling immediately to punch the ground, creating a quake that would surely get them off their feet, then raising the ground in a wave, performing Northern water tribe stances to make the earth a tidal wave of rocks and dirt.

Suddenly behind her got…hot. Too hot! She spun around and everything seemed to go in slow motion. She'd been fighting close, much too close to Jiao's battle. The fire was coming at her with speeds she'd never seen before and suddenly she was tackled from the side.

Seeing Jiao, she opened her mouth to say something, but closed it in clenched teeth when her back hit the ground harshly. In pain, her hair tie sprung off and her hair spilled out. She struggled to look around seeing that Jiao wasn't near her. It seemed he'd rolled and she spotted him a distance away. Seeing burns on him, she began reaching for him, "Jiao…Jiao…g-get up!"

He wasn't moving.

"J-Jiao!"

He didn't get up.

Tears started falling from her eyes and down her cheeks, and she spoke weakly, "Jiao…"

He started moving, trying to ignore the pain from being burned and getting up in a desperate struggle.

"Jiao!" She wanted to get over to him, hold him, embrace him, kiss him. Take him away from this place. She'd been wrong, her pride overruled her decisions. He was not going to die because of her pride!

He got up, reaching and grabbing his glider as blood coated the areas he was burnt, "Y-Yai?!"

She got up in a struggle, pain searing through her right side, "I'm here."

He looked over to her and at first he was looking, glad, then his face became harsh as he was looking behind her.

Yai shrieked as her hair was grabbed roughly and yanked back.

Jiao tried to ignore the pain and took stance, "Let her go!"

Fire Lord Sozin kept a menacingly tight fistfull of Yai's hair, making a fist and placing it to her cheek, "I will burn her alive and you will watch Air Nomad. I don't know where you found yourself an ally from the Earth Kingdom, but it all ends here." He looked, seeing marriage charms on each of their wrists, "Oh it's like that? Well, looks like you'll watch your _wife _burn and die!"

Yai looked as Jiao stayed in a stance, he looked at her.

She gazed back, her fears going away in that moment, his gaze gave her so much hope. She was not going to die today.

Rin flew overhead, headbutting the Fire Lord from behind.

In one instant, he let go of Yai's hair and was sent sailing due to the bison's intervention. Jiao used a large gust of wind to blow him farther away, not caring where or how he landed, he turned and ran over to Yai, taking her in his arms and kissing her forehead, "We have to go."

Rin came back around, landing for them to hop on with a mighty roar.

Yai came to stand, turning, Jiao helping her get up on the bison. A shout of pain and bright orange flickers caused her to look back and she noticed Sozin up again without his helmet, angered and enraged. She reached, grabbing Jiao's hand and helping him up, feeling his hand go limp, "No no no! You're not giving up on me!" She was able to ignore the pain, pulling him up and to her, Rin flapping her long tail to fend off their attackers before taking off immediately.

Yai looked to see Jiao in not so good shape. His back, side, arms, all burned. The burns on his back seemed the worst. She cried, pulling his body to hers, resting his head on her lap, "Jiao…"

His eyes were closed and he opened them slowly, looking up at her, "D-don't cry Yai…"

"Jiao it's not looking good for you…!"

He shook his head slowly.

Her tears fell onto his visage, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! You didn't want to fight…and I…if I would have did what you said…!"

He reached a quaking hand up towards her, gently touching over the side of her face, "It's okay."

She closed her eyes, silently weeping as she felt his hand on her face, "No no! It's not okay! I'm so sorry Jiao…"

He shook his head again, "It's not your fault."

She knew he wasn't going to live. She had to sit there, watching him die slowly, "No! I refuse to give up! I'm taking you to a place where you can get help! Just hang on Jiao…"

He smiled weakly, "Okay…"

She leaned down, ignoring her pain, closing her eyes and giving him the last kiss he would receive in his body.

*

Standing in the sanctuary, Yai turned away and ran out, crying hysterically. She was glad that she'd gotten Jiao to this place before he died. She got what she wanted accomplished, even though she didn't think it would happen at first. But now that he was no longer what he once was, she could only cry. He was her world, her everything, and now they could be together no longer.

She stopped running and slowed down to walk. She was glad that the final judgment passed was the one she came there for; what they agreed on as he was slipping away.

Tear streaked, she looked to the bison, "Rin, go back home old girl. Go back to the Southern Air Temple with this note." She reached, petting the bison, "Be safe. I'll be okay."

Rin roared, then taking flight and leaving the grieving widow with a note tied to a horn.

Rin, Jiao's bison companion, was her very last opportunity to go back to the Southern Air Temple or any Air Nomad temple for that matter. Her only way of ever seeing Aang again or searching for her mother, everything. Gone.

As she was walking away from the sacred shrine, the wind started to pick up and she reached, brushing her hair back, smiling a little even though she was still crying, "I know you'll watch over us all Jiao."

Stopping in her tracks and leaning forward, she widened her eyes in shock as sickness took over her body and she lurched towards the ground vomiting. Falling to her knees in the grass and reaching for her stomach, she cried harder once it was over. Understanding that this wasn't a random ordinary sickness.

She was pregnant with Jiao's baby.

And she was going to lose the unborn baby girl in the near future due to the stress of losing her lover and fighting the Fire Lord.

_It could have been another airbender…Aang could have had a younger sibling...  
_

It looked like it was true after all. The Avatar was _always _an only child.

She traveled by foot once she recovered, having with her the things she'd brought with her. The objective was still the same and she understood why the monks sent them away at that moment in time.

_They wanted Jiao and I to create a safehouse in the Earth Kingdom. We were going to come back for Aang together._

She started crying again, thinking of Aang. Raising him, loving him as if he was her flesh and blood son. Now Monk Gyatso was going to raise him and Aang would grow up without knowing any of them at all. She could have gone back to the Southern Air Temple, but chose not to. To leave Aang there. He would find her one day at the safehouse when he got older and she would wait for him to teach him earthbending. She wondered just when the Elder Monks were going to tell Aang what he was.

No one found Avatar Roku's body and it had been _years _since the rest of the world heard of or from the Avatar.

No Air Nomad ever heard of or from Yai again.

_I'm waiting for you Aang, here in the Earth Kingdom..._

________________________________________________________

A/N: Guess what? Story's still **not **over. Next chapter coming soon!

As I was editing this chapter and the one before it, I was listening to a song that really completed Jiao's and Yai's relationship, even up to his death. So I came up with the idea of pairing theme songs. Here's what I came up with:

Demoska/Jigako's theme: Mariah Carey - My All [I really did listen to this song over and over again while going over their portion of the story]

Jiao/Yai's theme: Lamb - Gorecki [A beautiful song that I encourage people to listen to! I dare you to find the song and listen to it!]

You can probably tell that a _ton _of love songs influenced this story. =] And non-love songs too. [Even Slipknot and Three Days Grace songs influenced this story. A lot of Bjork and Imogen Heap.]

I hope Fire Lord Sozin was IC enough. Of all the people to actually defeat him, he got beat by Jiao's bison, Rin. An epic win.

Come on now! Fire Lord Sozin getting headbutted from behind by the bison = pwnage. You know it!

Read and review.


	13. Chapter 13: Reunion

***

Katara had to wipe tears from her eyes, "At first I felt like I was intruding again with Yai writing about the passions between her and Jiao but...wow."

Sokka sighed, holding Yai's diary in his hands.

Zuko finished reading Jiao's diary a while back, as his last entry was written the same day the couple faced Fire Lord Sozin together, "Yai and the bison aren't even mentioned clearly in my great-grandfather's diary."

Sokka nodded, "He wouldn't have written in clear detail about a loss that embarrassing."

Aang looked to Yai's diary, "I'm confused, what was it that she did with my father while he was dyeing? She never says clearly what she did."

Sokka looked back, "All it says basically is that she took him to a shrine somewhere and…the judgment was in their favor."

Katara thought, "That couldn't mean that Jiao was still alive. I mean, the burns sounded really bad."

Aang sighed, "I can't believe all of this happened and I had no idea. Monk Gyatso never mentioned any of this to me. I mean, I was gonna ask him about my parents someday but never got the chance. And I could have had a younger sister…"

Toph laid back, "Your real parents are Demoska and Jiao, but your parents parents, like, the ones who really raised you were Jiao and Yai. And then when they couldn't anymore Monk Gyatso took over."

Katara nodded, "It had to be painful for Monk Gyatso to recall."

Aang thought, "You know there's something else I noticed. She never said what she did with my father's glider. He used it in battle, but that's all that's said about it."

"Meh, she sounds good and all, but I'm still glad that I got to be your earthbending teacher Twinkletoes."

Zuko thought to himself for a while, "Wait…Yai's diary is really long and still goes on even after that. She gave up her only chance of getting back here, so how did this diary get here?"

Everyone thought.

Sokka flipped Yai's diary to the very last page, "Um guys this is gonna sound really creepy."

Everyone looked over, "What's that?"

Sokka turned the book towards them so everyone could read what he did, "I think she **knew **you would find it. Here are instructions on how to find her!"

Katara shook her head, "But she couldn't possibly be alive! She was 21 when Jiao died and she separated herself from the Air Nomads. Aang was 3. And all this took place a hundred years ago!"

Aang thought aloud, "I wanna go try to find her."

Everyone looked back to Aang.

Sokka blinked, "Aang that's insane!"

"Guru Pathik was a close friend of Monk Gyatso and met my mother before she had me. He's still living after a hundred years and he wasn't frozen in a block of ice."

Toph nodded, "You have a good point."

Zuko stood up, "Let's go then. We'll find her and find out what happened to your father Aang."

Everyone else stood up, Toph stretching, "Phew! Sitting all that time listening to a romance story ain't too great for the joints."

Sokka carried the book, "I guess we can just leave all the other ones here. And her last entry really doesn't tell us anything before the instructions for Aang. If I'm right, she wrote her last entry when she was somewhere in her 50's. She knows about the war and knows that the Air Nomads were wiped out. Oh wait a second guys!"

Aang looked back, "What is it Sokka?"

He read, "I think I finally understand what happened to my mother. She went to fight for peace and she died. She is responsible for the era of peace amongst the Air Nomads before Sozin's comet came. I believe she may have met a similar fate to my Jiao."

Katara thought, "Well that doesn't say much at all."

He shrugged, "Just thought I'd throw that out there. Anyway, if we follow these instructions exactly, we should be able to find her…if she's alive that is. If not, we'll find the safehouse and hopefully we'll find more clues there."

As everyone was walking away, Aang suddenly stopped as memories came crashing back to him. Gasping, he reached up to cover his mouth in shock.

Everyone stopped, looking back. Katara walking over to him, "Aang...are you okay?"

Aang looked up to her and then at everyone, dropping his hands to his sides, "Yai...was wrong. Monk Kannin didn't die...I...I met her in the Fire Nation a little over a hundred years ago. I remember now..."

Everyone looked around to each other quizzically.

Sokka blinked, "Are you serious?"

Aang nodded, "She was living there. I met her one day while going to visit my friend Kuzon. I can't believe it didn't dawn on me till now! I had no idea who she was, but she seemed to have known me. I first met her when I was 10. We talked for a long time, keeping in contact even after I left. I asked her to come back to the Southern Air Temple with me, but she said she wasn't allowed to leave. They didn't give her permission to contact anyone until I came to the Fire Nation and asked for Kuzon's family's help to get them to let her leave."

Zuko widened his eyes, "You met her...two years before the comet came!"

Aang went limb for a moment, "Her staying there...I don't know what she did all that time, but there really was peace in all of the nations while she was there. I mean, she wasn't a prisoner or slave, but confined to just the royal city. She asked that I didn't tell anyone she was there."

Everyone had to think.

Zuko came to a disturbing realization, "If she was living in the Fire Nation, then she wasn't wiped out with the rest of the Air Nomads, just like Yai wasn't. But...there's no trace of her ever having been there. I'd hate to say this, but I think that...after the Air Nomads were wiped out, Monk Kannin was believed to be the last one besides you and was put to death. The last two airbenders. One executed for no reason while the other one frozen in a block of ice.."

Toph widened her eyes, "And no one ever knew..."

Sokka reached to take Aang's hand, giving it a squeeze to comfort him, Katara taking his hand on the other side, "Come on. Let's go find your stepmother Aang."

*

Riding on Appa, they'd been traveling for days. Making it to the Earth Kingdom and following the instructions written.

Toph groaned, "She's describing places as they were over a hundred years ago. There's no way it'll be exact anymore!"

Aang thought, "Wait", he got Appa to lower everyone. "I think I can track her, if she's alive anyway. The same way I found Appa when we were lost in the swamp and the same way I knew Katara was in trouble in Ba Sing Sei."

Katara nodded, "Go for it Aang."

He hopped off Appa, then kneeling, putting a hand on the ground and concentrating, his arrows glowing as he closed his eyes. The arrow of connection guided his mind, giving him visions. He saw Yai as she aged, the places she stayed, where she'd lived and finally…

"Did you find her?"

Aang stood up smiling widely, "She's alive and I know where she is." He went to get back on Appa, "We were going the wrong way. Think about it, where's the first place she ever knew about in the Earth Kingdom?"

Everyone spoke in unison, "Omashu."

Aang nodded, "The safe house isn't in Omashu, but its close. If everything would have happened in the now, she'd have gone to Ba Sing Sei, but she didn't."

Sokka groaned, "You know, it's gotta be hidden or something, because we've been to Omashu plenty of times and we've never seen any safehouse. And if she's still alive, why didn't she do anything to help Omashu when it was under attack by Azula? Or anything in the war? I mean she has to know that you're alive Aang, cause the whole world knows about how we saved it from the Fire Nation." He nudged Zuko, "No offense man."

Zuko shrugged, "None taken."

Aang shrugged, "We can ask her all the questions we need when we see her."

Katara huffed, "She's an old woman over a hundred years old Sokka! How could you expect her to be involved in war?"

Sokka chuckled, "Doesn't make her feeble. Just think about all the old people we already know."

Zuko looked back, thinking about his uncle, "But _they _aren't over a hundred years old!" He punched Sokka's arm, "Don't make fun of my uncle!"

"Ow!"

Toph punched Sokka's other arm, "Hey Zuko that seems fun."

Everyone laughed, and they were off, heading in the direction of Omashu.

*

The safehouse was nothing like they'd expected it to be. They expected a little shack of a house hidden in wilderness and came upon a big wooden ranch deep within the woods camouflaged by the plant life and trees surrounding it. Appa landed and everyone got off, all of them rushing to the front door.

Aang reached up to knock on the door but it opened on its own.

Everyone walked in, Appa and Momo staying outside. They gazed around the house in awe. It was full of belongings Yai Ching collected. They seemed old but at the same time taken care of very well.

"Who is there…?" The voice of an old woman rang throughout the house.

Suddenly the ground was engulfing everyone's feet as they all began to sink. It took both Toph and Aang together to release the trap completely.

Toph marveled, "The entire floor is the ground. There's no grass, but it's all made of a strange kind of earth."

Sokka waved a hand, "But it looks like a regular floor!"

An old dark skinned woman with short grey hair stepped out from the shadows, holding a plate in her hands, her eyes narrowed, "Because it's a special type of earth collected from one of the many sanctuaries around the world." She looked directly at Sokka.

Aang looked over, "Are you Yai Ching?"

The old woman looked at everyone one at a time. She looked Sokka over, then Katara, Zuko, Toph and finally Aang. She dropped the empty plate, it shattering against the floor.

Everyone winced at the impact.

Yai Ching's eyes began to tear, "Oh…oh my…oh my…" Her hands began shaking as she asked feebly, "A-…Aang?"

Aang took a step towards her, nodding, "Yes ma'am." He blinked as the old woman was suddenly hugging him closely and tightly, much tighter than a feeble old woman should have been able to. He hugged back either way. She wasn't his biological mother, but in her own right she was his mother too.

Yai pulled away, looking Aang up and down, "You look just like your father and uncle! The spitting image! And you have your mother's eyes." She smiled, "You look just like they did at 12 years old."

Aang nodded, "I have so many questions…"

Sokka stepped up next to Aang, "Well um, here's your diary back. We found it and that's how we found you."

She waved it away, "Oh no. I don't need that old thing. Aang…I will answer every last question that you have. Come, Jiao told me that I should make tea for six today."

They followed her, looking at each other. Katara mouthing to Aang, "Jiao's alive?"

He shrugged, "I don't know."

They followed Yai Ching into a large kitchen and she explained while pouring teacups and passing them around, "My house was a refuge for people leaving Omashu after the Fire Nation took over it. But I'm happy to see that the city I was born in is still standing proud as ever."

Aang sat down next to her at the table, "So did you ever meet King Bumi? He's a really great friend of mine."

She shook her head, "No I have not, only met Bumi's father. Now before we start. I think I know who each and every one of you is."

They blinked.

Yai Ching pointed at Katara, "You are Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, a master waterbender." She pointed at Zuko, "Fire Lord Zuko as of last month." She pointed to Toph, "Toph Bei Fong of the Bei Fong family. That family and I were friends a long time ago. When I was a wanderer, I stayed at the Bei Fong estate. Your relatives were much more humble all those years ago." She pointed at Sokka, "Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. Your genius always mistaken for foolishness." And she smiled at Aang, "And of course…my little Avatar."

Aang cracked a wide smile and blushed a little, reaching to rub the back of his neck shyly.

"I have a question for you Aang."

He quirked a brow, "What is it Miss Yai Ching ma'am?"

"Please, call me Yai or mom." She reached, pointing at Toph, "Is that your girlfriend?"

Toph and Katara both spit out their tea across the table on Sokka, Toph yelling, "What!? No way! I don't like Twinkletoes like that!"

Katara coughed, "I-I am Yai Ching!"

Sokka gave a grunt, reaching for napkins to wipe himself off, Zuko chuckling a little.

Yai looked from Toph to Katara and laughed, "I'm sorry I assumed. Looking at my Aang made me think of my romance with Jiao all over again. You all know the story yes? From reading it in my diary?"

They nodded, Zuko speaking up, "We know next to everything. From when you all were children to where it was just you left."

Yai sighed, "Ah so you know all about us. From the day I first met Demoska and Jigako, and set eyes on my love so many years ago. I gave up writing in my diary and sent it back to the Southern Air Temple for you to find."

Aang shook his head, "But you put it back after the comet came and everyone was gone. During the hundred years that I was frozen in an iceberg."

She nodded, "I had faith that you would go back and find it."

"But how did you know that I was alive?"

Yai chuckled, "Because you're being watched over by all of those who passed away and who love you. None of us would abandon you."

"Why didn't you go back to the Southern Air Temple on Jiao's bison? You could have come back for me!"

Yai sighed, "Because it was Monk Gyatso's destiny to raise you, not mine. I could not teach you how to be an airbender properly. I do not remember the basics. As destiny called it, you had to come to me and I understood that as I weighed my options. It seems that I was not meant to be your earthbending teacher until after I gained the knowledge and wisdom I have today. After defeating Fire Lord Ozai, if you still wish to be trained, I will train you. I am not the kind of teacher to start you off with the bottom basics. I can teach you only the most advanced sets of your elements. As it turns out, I can teach each and every single one of you, even you Sokka. And what I can teach is different from that of what you see today, it is very ancient."

Katara brightened up, "So you're like the ultimate teacher! Hear that Toph, I think she can even teach you."

Toph muttered, "I'm the greatest earthbender in the world already! What would I need a teacher for?"

Yai laughed, "I know things that even you might not know. Tell me Toph, what would you do if you were trapped in a cleaned wooden cell?"

She looked in Yai's direction, "What…wood bending?"

Yai smiled, "Not exactly. But I can teach you things beyond your wildest dreams when it comes to earthbending. Things that a badgermole wouldn't ever need to think of."

Katara nodded, "Could you show me some waterbending moves from your time?"

Yai nodded, "Of course I can. The Northern and Southern water tribes had completely different styles and sets. I can teach Zuko firebending stances that had gone 'out of style' shall we say? That and I can instruct you on how to make your fire burn hotter and to achieve different colored flames."

Zuko widened his eyes, "Like Azula's blue fire…"

"Sokka. You are not a bender so what I can teach you has unlimited possibilities. I can teach you mechanics! I can show you every little nick knack that I've collected in my years of traveling. I've had time to take each and every thing in this house apart and put it back together."

Sokka's eyes got watery and he clapped his hands, "Aang! Your stepmom is AWESOME!"

Yai sipped her tea, "You all coming here made me realize my purpose for living this long. It was so that old traditions do not die. That nothing in the disrupted history is lost. I can tell you everything there is to know about the Air Nomads from being fortunate enough to call the Southern Air Temple my home."

Aang put his cup down, looking to her, "Is my father still alive?"

Everyone quieted down, all looking to Yai curiously.

Yai smiled, looking down into her tea, "Aang your father is doing well. What I did to him saved him from being lost to this world."

"Can you take me to him?"

Her eyes were gentle yet curious, "We can get there by nightfall if you have a flying bison."

*

"Yai meet Appa! Appa meet my mother."

Yai ran up to Appa, hugging into his fur and rubbing it, "Oh you remind me of Rin so so much! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Rin was your mommy!"

Appa sneezed.

Yai chuckled, "Oh bless you" She patted Appa's fur.

Sokka crossed his arms looking at Aang, "She's like an old lady version of you. You'd think she was an Avatar too with all she must know. Plus…she loves Appa."

"Well what would you expect? She's an Air Nomad."

Zuko blinked, "It's nice of you to think of her as one, although she really isn't."

Katara looked at them, "Even so, she's like a human Wong Shi Tong. She must know so many things and she's already agreed to teach us. I'm honored. She and The Guru have to be the oldest people on earth. I think she's younger than The Guru though."

Toph kicked at the ground, "Geeze, I can't believe that even I found an earthbending teacher. And I thought I knew it all."

Zuko sighed, "I'll be able to make blue fire…"

Yai turned around spotting Momo and clapping her hands, "Oh my word you have a flying lemur too?! I haven't seen one in ages!" Dashing over to Momo on Sokka's shoulder, she scooped him up and cuddled him.

Sokka snickered and looked at Aang, "Oh yeah, definitely an old lady version of you."

______________________________________________________________________________

A/N: A lot of people were expecting this reunion; I can imagine.

x]

But what of Jiao? What is this old lady talking about? Find out next time...for it will be the final chapter! Coming soon.

Also, I hope everyone is IC enough. Sokka humor is love.

Read and review.


	14. Chapter 14: Of The Wind

*

Appa lowered them to a vast plain grassy meadow where a shrine stood tall before a cave in a mountainside. Yai jumped from Appa's saddle down onto the ground, raising earth to create stairs for everyone to walk down on.

Toph leaned, touching the ground, "Whoa…this place…I can't even describe it."

Yai turned and smiled at them, "This is the Spirit Shrine. Built by man long ago to have direct connections to the universe itself. It holds special properties in so many ways. Now I want you all to be warned, especially you Toph. Stepping into this shrine you must have a pure heart. If you do, you can be temporary relieved of any disability or ailment. It will be an intense experience, but while you are in this shrine you will be able to see. Zuko, your face will not have that scar. Katara and Sokka, you will be able to see the dead walk as if they were with the living. Aang…you will be able to meet him. Now follow me everyone." She turned, walking into the shrine.

Everyone took a deep breath and followed her in.

Katara gasped, seeing people walking around the hall of the shrine though they were all transparent. Sokka just waved, "Hey ghost. Hey ghost. How ya doin?"

Katara nudged him, "Sokka!"

"What? I'm just communicating with the dead."

Zuko reached up to his face, to his scar, feeling smooth skin instead, "I don't believe it…"

They all looked back at Zuko.

"Holy crap!"

Everyone looked at Toph, "That old lady was right!"

Katara shook her head, "But Toph, your eyes are exactly the same."

Toph crossed her arms, "But I can _see _you all. I always knew you were a baldy Twinkletoes." She looked around at everyone else, then turning, seeing a wall that gave off reflections, she reached, placing a hand on the wall, seeing her own reflection, "This is so weird…I'm so used to seeing with my feet and not my eyes. Yai was right, this is intense…"

The arrows on Aang began to glow.

Katara quirked a brow, "Aang, why are you going into the Avatar state?"

He looked at his hand, "I'm not, but this is happening on its own."

Yai called from a distance, "Come along children, we have quite a way to go."

They hurried after Yai Ching, catching up to her.

Yai looked and saw Aang glowing, smiling, "Ah yes, we must be close. You are calling for him because you are of his flesh and blood."

Aang looked ahead, seeing they came to the end of the shrine. There was a pile of rubble at the end of a vast room. The walls were like that of a cave and everything shone brightly through the blue and green as crystals illuminating the space from every niche in the walls.

Yai Ching walked over to the rubble and sat down facing everyone before it in a meditating stance, "Sit children."

They all sat.

"Coming here the first time in my travels, I saw my real parents from Omashu, which is how I knew this place was special. I learned that there are many spirits that dwell here. This place is also a direct portal to the Spirit World. I brought Jiao here because I believed that this place would heal him and restore him to me. But as we ventured on, me carrying his weight and helping him walk, a dark feeling washed over me that I was going to lose Jiao. I was still stubborn. I didn't want him to pass on into the next life. I wanted him to stay in this world. So as we made it to this very spot, I came up with a plan that would keep him in this world for eternity and when I told it to him, he agreed to it. Now there are a few things you must know about Jiao before you meet him."

Everyone looked at each other and then back to Yai.

"Jiao and Jigako were never ordinary people. Jigako had a never ending peace to him that couldn't be broken. He always had so much love in his heart. Jiao on the other hand was different. Jiao was a lot like Sokka you see. He was the kind of person who thought outside of the box and what he called knowledge others looked upon as foolishness. He was very wise in ways that other people were not. It made him such a great Pai Sho player." She laughed a little, "At first even I thought he was crazy for waking up often to watch the sunrise. Anyway, Jigako was the brother who advanced according to the monks as the greater airbender, but this was not true according to the earth's point of view itself."

Katara added, "It was because of the different training he received from you and Monk Kannin right?"

"Very good Katara. Because Jiao had learned so much more, he became the stronger airbender. He learned the secret of the earth and about life and love. But most importantly, he was like the wind itself after I came back to him. As he was dying in my arms and I helped him walk down that very corridor we walked through, I was greeted by many spirits when we got here. I pleaded with the spirits. I begged for them to consider making him one of them. But they would not do it."

Aang widened his eyes as someone began to appear sitting in a meditative position next to Yai.

"Do you know why they would not Aang?"

"I don't know."

Everyone was able to see the slowly manifesting human form.

Yai smiled, "He was meant to be much greater than just any spirit that would linger the earth or go to the Spirit World. The universal spirits here studied his life, his personality, and they passed the final judgment on him during his last breaths of life with me. I had to leave his body here and when the time was right, he would take the place of a spirit long forgotten that was killed."

Jiao appeared sitting next to Yai, "I am the spirit of the wind."

Katara gazed, almost opened mouthed. The monk looked exactly like an older version of Aang. That and he didn't have any of the burns on him described in the diary. The marriage charm bracelet on his right wrist was still there. He looked as he did at the age of 21. She blinked to make sure she was seeing the incredibly handsome spirit everyone else was seeing.

As a spirit, he was almost transparent, but everyone was able to see him clearly.

Jiao appeared with his eyes closed and as he completely appeared he opened his eyes, looking directly at Aang.

The arrows continued to glow as Aang gazed at his father.

"My son…I'm glad to see you."

"Dad…?"

"I could only watch as you grew up. It may not have seemed like it, but I've helped you whenever I could."

Aang reached up to wipe tears of happiness away, sitting in the same meditative way Yai and Jiao were sitting, "I know. You help me airbend every day of my life."

"I'm proud of you Aang. I want you to know that I'm always with you. Now that you've met me here, I can be with you anywhere you go similarly to Avatar Roku. He is a part of you as I am all around you."

Aang nodded.

"I am not the only one. The spirits of the other elements are here for you as well."

On Yai's right, Yue appeared just as Jiao had, "Hello again."

Sokka looked at her. _Yue…!_

Toph and Zuko were speechless, seeing all of the spirits with their own eyes. Toph feeling them moreso since her other senses were enhanced due to her blindness.

On Jiao's other side, a dragon came to.

Zuko widened his eyes, "The spirit of fire…it's still a dragon, it didn't need a human sacrifice to replace it yet."

A badgermole appeared next to Yue.

Toph smiled, "Looks like nobody got to the spirit of the earth element either."

The dragon spoke in a deep bellowing voice, "You Avatar Aang, are the last spirit. That of all of us combined."

Katara and Sokka sweatdropped at the talking dragon.

The badgermole raised its head, its voice shrill and high pitched, "Many years ago, the Moon spirit gave up its immortality to be amongst the world. It set an example for us as the other elements, who later decided to do the same due to the humans learning to better harness their elemental gifts and our own curiosity. We are here on the planet forever. When our forms in your life are destroyed, we must retain a new form as spirits, never to walk to earth again. If they are not destroyed on earth, we stay as the first benders of all time that existed in the age before humans."

Yue continued for them, "When the animal spirit is gone, a human sacrifice must take their place. The Avatar is connected to all of us. But as the last Air Nomad first, you had to have the deepest connection with the spirit of the wind. The previous spirit of the wind was a sky bison. When he died, they accepted your father as the spirit because they knew who and what you are."

Jiao smiled, "I turned out to be quite the lucky parent."

Sokka reached towards Yue.

"Sokka, I watch over you. Empowering our people always."

Sokka nodded, "I miss you Yue."

She smiled, "I'm very happy for you Sokka." She started to vanish first, "Live long and be happy for me."

He nodded again, smiling.

The dragon looked down, "Fire Lord Zuko, you know to never reveal the location of the last two dragons. Keep the world at peace and continue to restore the honor of the Fire Nation. The dragons will be upon the earth again. I know that you are wise enough to not hunt us for glory as your ancestors did."

Zuko nodded, watching the dragon disappear, "Yes."

The badgermole sniffed around, facing Toph, "Mighty earthbender, you are the candidate to become a spirit of the earth element when you pass away. We have watched over you and you represent us greatly. I humbly thank you. May the location of our spirit host, from which you learned earthbending from, stay a mystery."

Toph chuckled as the badgermole vanished, "Your welcome Spirit Badgermole."

It was just Jiao and Yai left.

Jiao breathed easily, starting to vanish slowly, "Aang, so many people wanted to be there for you. Know that we all love you."

Yai nodded, "Look behind you."

Everyone turned, three spirits standing in the narrow corridor, two of them holding hands, looking straight at Aang. The male spirit looked like a duplicate of Jiao, the female spirit holding his hand was a tall and lean woman with long black hair. Standing behind them, the third spirit Aang immediately recognized.

Katara gasped, her voice a whisper, "Jigako, Demoska, and Monk Kannin are here too?"

The couple waved while smiling, then disappearing. Monk Kannin turning slightly before vanishing also.

Aang looked back to his father, "Wait…I still have questions!"

Jiao closed his eyes, "I will come back to you soon. I promise." And with that, he was gone.

Everyone looked at one another.

Toph blinked, coming to a stand, "Hey…I'm blind again. What the heck?"

Yai smiled, standing as well as everyone else, "It only lasts as long as you do not blink. Zuko your scar is back because you were not supposed to touch your face. You are to leave your senses alone as you are in here. Leave them behind at the entrance. Communicate with those who have passed."

Katara got up and ran in a direction, putting her hands on a smooth stone wall, "Mom!?"

Sokka looked over, seeing their mother as well before she vanished, walking over and touching his sister's shoulder, smiling, "She's here. Don't worry."

After everyone left, Aang looked up to the sky as the wind picked up into a gentle breeze around them. Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, he exhaled, the image of his father sitting and meditating coming to his mind. He opened his eyes smiling, "Hey dad."

Zuko sighed, "Your father is the wind." _That's rough buddy…_

Yai nodded, "I'm glad that I made that choice. He seems very happy with it."

Aang looked at his stepmother, "He comes to you all the time doesn't he?"

She chuckled, "Yes he does. It's good to know even in spirit we are his everything. Every time I got the chance from my youth to now, I would go back to the Spirit World to visit him and spend time with him."

Toph sighed, "So what now guys?"

Yai smiled, rubbing her hands together, "If the Fire Lord left his kingdom in capable hands and no one else is in a rush, then we can return to my home to have some cake and tea and then you can all begin your training in ancient bending techniques. Sokka, you can help me serve the snacks."

Sokka grinned, "I get to be around food while they train? Sweet!"

Yai chuckled, "Afterwards, I have a special project for you."

"No sweat granny!"

Later, Sokka rubbed his hand against his head, then grabbing the axe again, "Darnit! Why'd she make it sound so innocent and not like hard work!?" He slammed the axe down to chop wood.

He groaned thinking about five minutes ago.

_Yai giggled, "Please chop some firewood for me dear boy. It's not alot and should only take you an hour or so."_

He grumbled as he was getting back to work, "Cunning old lady!"

*****

_**The Epilogue**_

_6 years later…_

Katara held on to Aang's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

The friends stood at Yai's grave, their heads bowed in a moment of silence.

Sokka sniffled, "Man…I can't stop tearing every time I come here. She was such a great old lady!"

Toph nodded, "So the last of the bunch is gone. I hope she's having fun with the others as spirits."

Fire Lord Zuko agreed, "She taught us well."

Aang squeezed Katara's hand back, then looking up from Yai's grave to the sky as a gentle breeze blew, "She's with you now dad. I hope she's happy."

Katara smiled, "I know she is." Placing a hand on her stomach, she blushed a little, "If it's a girl, I'll name it after her."

Aang nodded, turning to look at his pregnant wife and smiling, giving her a gentle kiss.

Zuko turned around, "I gotta go guys. I'll see you all again soon." He started walking, giving them a nonchalant wave, "Or just drop by the Fire Nation whenever you like."

Smiling as she brought her arms around her husband, Katara looked over at Sokka and Toph, waving a hand at them jokingly, "You know, you guys wouldn't make a bad couple."

They looked towards each other.

Sokka shrugged, "I'm telling Suki you said that Katara."

Toph crossed her arms and turned away, "Ew, no way!"

Sokka waved his arms, "What do you mean ew!?" He started ranting on about his 'positive traits' as Toph tried to shut him up.

Aang and Katara laughed, then holding hands and walking away from the grave, leaving Toph and Sokka to argue.

As they walked away, the spirits of four friends materialized above the grave. Demoska, Jigako, Jiao, and Yai all stood with smiles as they watched Aang walk away.

_**THE END**_

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this story. If anyone thinks I should go ahead and make a part 2 [consisting of deleted scenes and everyone in the present living and training with Yai], just review and ask/let me know. I'd be more than happy to comply.

- I like other pairings, but this story wouldn't be the same without cannon ships. =]

Anyway, I enjoyed writing this.

The Story of Aang's parents is now complete.


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